The Reign of Heinlein
by Sawada Killer
Summary: Rock has joined Kain after Kain offered him information regarding his mother. But instead of doing what Geese did, Kain is making Second Southtown a better place. Rock and Kain have to deal with different kind of people. Will include Maximum Impact 1 & 2 later on. How will Kain make Second Southtown a peaceful place despite the judgement of others? ENJOY!:)
1. The Beginning of a New Era

_**Rock Howard defeated his uncle, Kain R. Heinlein who inherited Geese's place and began to rule Second Southtown. Kain offered his nephew information regarding his mother if he joined him. Rock decides to join his uncle, he cuts ties with Terry and everyone else he knew just to keep them safe. This story focuses on his life with Kain, in the underworld. Maximum Impact 1 and 2 will take during this story. ENJOY and IMAGINE! That's what we can do, after all. :)**_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 1: The Beginning of a New Era.**_

Rock Howard had joined Kain, his uncle. Just for the sake of his mother. He had cut off all the ties from his _friends and family._ He never saw Terry even once after he had joined Kain. It had been a whole week since he had joined his uncle. Rock lived alone now. He lived in an apartment, given to him by Kain. Rock often wondered how Terry would be doing. How other people he once knew would be doing? His friends and family all were away from him just from accepting Kain's offer. Rock had still no idea why Kain wanted his help?

Kain was ruling over Second Southtown, what else could he need? But surprisingly, Kain did not try to instill fear in people. It had been a month since Kain came into power yet he still didn't do anything suspicious.

Rock was standing in front of Kain's desk, looking directly into the eyes of his uncle. Kain's lips were forming a smile. What could he possibly have in store for his nephew? Rock didn't hesitate to ask his uncle, he had agreed to join him. "So, what do you need?" There was a little hint on anger in his voice. Rock hated it. He was doing something his mother was against.

Kain had realized one thing about Rock. He was too soft. He needed to break him. _'Emotions get in the way, after all'._ Kain thought to himself. Kain decided to explain to his nephew about his first job. "I need you to gather information on the other gangs that are currently in Second Southtown. And once that's done, get rid of them. Use any means necessary. You have three days." Kain said coldly, no hint of emotion in his voice.

Rock decided to test the waters. He had to know how much Kain was willing to give or take. "And what if I don't do it in time?" He made sure to add the sound of mockery in his voice.

A smile found its way to Kain's lips. It was time to show him how serious it was. "Well then, you can say goodbye to your mother." Kain replied, his smile widening a bit. Rock gritted his teeth in frustration. Kain was playing dirty. He could make him whatever he wanted. "So, three days it is. And I want all of them. Not a single one left behind." Kain ordered. "It would be good if you start now." Kain said, telling Rock to leave.

Rock exited the office. He was frustrated. There was nothing he could do against Kain. He just hated him. The next person to meet him was probably gonna end up getting punched in the face. Rock went to his motorcycle and raced off into the night. He knew where he had to start. The secrets of Second Southtown were buried in its parks and lurked in its alleys. And who knew most about them? Bartenders, waiters, restaurant owners and managers. If he was lucky he could find someone from another gang and get him to spit out all the information.

Rock stopped in front of a bar. He had just turned 18 but he wasn't the one who enjoyed drinking. He looked at the sign above. The Illusion. It's owner was King, one of the _good guys_. She also knew that Rock had left Terry's wing and joined Kain. Since she hated crime lords, Rock was in her bad books. So, going through the front door was out of option. He would have to enter through the back. And who knew, Ryo Sakazaki could be there and Rock certainly knew that he was one of the few who Terry considered as his rival. So, fighting him could be troublesome.

Rock went behind the building and saw the backdoor. He would have to be sneaky. Knowing that, there would be few people at the bar at 11:45 pm in the night. Rock knew from experience, he had worked there and he remembered the routine. So, one of the waitresses would be taking a break. The newcomers would probably be working overtime just to be in good books of King.

Rock knocked on the door and hid next to it. The door opened. "Who's there?" A female voice said. It wasn't King. It was one of the waitresses, senior waitresses. Rock had hit the jackpot. He quickly appeared in front of the person standing in the door, grabbed her wrist and pulled her out and pinned her against the wall. He shut the door and put a hand over her mouth to make sure she wouldn't start screaming. It was Sally. Rock put over a finger on his lips and told her to be silent. "Shhh... don't make a sound." He whispered.

Rock slowly removed his hand from her mouth. Sally started to breath heavily. Unknown to Rock, she wasn't able to breath while he was covering her mouth. Sally was shocked to see Rock. He had disappeared all of a sudden after the tournament. The word on the street was that he was working with Kain. "What are you doing?" Sally asked, there was fear in her voice. She didn't want the rumors to be true. "I need information of other gangs on Second Southtown. I know you know about them." Rock said, the tone of danger lurked in his voice. No one would be stupid enough to defy him if they realized that he was angry. After all, Rock had defeated the strongest person in Second Southtown, Terry Bogard.

Despite Sally's wishes, the rumors were true. He was working for Kain. That question he just asked had confirmed rumors into truth. But the question now was why? Why did Rock decide to help Kain? "Why do you want to know?" She asked, staying still in her place. Rock wasn't even touching her. He just took a step back. He knew that involving others would only put them in danger. "It's none of your business." Rock said, doing his best to avoid the question he had just been asked.

That didn't convince Sally. She wanted to know why. "And what if I don't tell you?" She threatened. Rock was now with no other choice. He would have to wear the mask of the _wicked._ A self-loathing laugh escaped his mouth. He couldn't believe that he was gonna do it. "Then, I guess you don't want to live." Rock said as his hands were covered by blue aura of energy. While Sally was shocked, she could not even imagine him turning out to be like this. "No, you wouldn't." She said in disbelief. Rock's smirk grew wider. "Wanna try me?" He said as he brought his hand closer to her. That was it.

The fear for her life had taken over her. He was no longer the same innocent and shy boy to her. He had changed into a complete monster. "Ok, I'll talk... Just don't hurt me." She said, looking away from him, closing her eyes in fear. Rock pulled his hand away from her and she began to talk, telling him about the gangs in Second Southtown. Rock knew where the information was since every gang in Southtown had tried to shut down The Illusion. King didn't agree to work with them and sell their _stuff._ So, it was only natural that they would try to shut her bar down. And there was only one way for a gang to stick their feet in Second Southtown and that was by having solid business. The only one who was able to do it was Geese Howard. Apparently, all of the gangs were going to have a meeting at a warehouse on the outskirts of Second Southtown. It was a golden opportunity to get them all at once.

"Listen, they're threatening me. They have their men keeping eyes on me and my family. I'll only tell you if you promise me that my family will be safe." Sally demanded, her voice was still rattled.

"Fine, I'll send our men to make sure no one harms them." Rock assured her. He took his cellphone out right then and there and made a call.

"Yeah, it's me. I'm gonna need you to send some men to protect one of King's waitresses' family. Yes, it's urgent." With that, he hung up and put his mobile device back in his pocket.

"Now that I've fulfilled your wish, start talking." Rock looked at Sally.

After Sally was done giving Rock the information he needed, Rock decided to leave. Sally fell to the ground; she buried her head between her knees. She was sad, sad that the person who once worked with her was now walking a path that did not lead to anything good. But little did she know that Rock himself hated doing it. Rock walked away from the place and as he was about to leave he turned around to say one final thing to his ex-co-worker. "I'm sorry." Rock said. Sally didn't notice the sadness in his voice as he left. He hated it. He had to hurt someone who cared for him. He had to hurt a friend. She acted like his older-sister. He did it just to get a job done. Rock knew that she wasn't the only who would have to bear pain because of him.

Rock got all the information he needed. He made a mental note of the people who were going to be his targets. Rock increased the speed of his motorcycle even more, making it as fast as he could. He wanted to vent his rage and frustration somehow. He could actually not wait to get to those gang leaders. Rock was now driving on the outskirts of Second Southtown. Only a few gangs were located in Second Southtown while most of them had their hideouts on the outskirts of the city. No wonder they were unable to make their presence known.

Rock stopped in front of a huge warehouse. It was probably the place where the drugs were made and kept. This was the main source of their income. The gangs had tended to unite and divide Second Southtown among each other. So, they were all allies and enemies of Kain. Rock took some pictures and made a short video of the gang leaders and the manufacturing of drugs as evidence with his camera. After he was done with that, Rock just decided to barge inside. He broke down the door with a rempuuken . The workers inside were startled by the sudden noise. And Rock was right; it was the place where drugs were being made. Rock sprinted right in the building. He was beating everyone up. He was kicking, punching and throwing the bodyguards. He was too fast for them. Soon, the bodyguards were all down. Only the gang leaders remained and they were all afraid of the young man standing in front of them with blood stained fists. "I heard you were all gonna be here." Rock said. Sally's information wasn't wrong. All of them were here. "Do you know how many lives have you destroyed with those drugs of yours?!" Rock said angrily.

"Please spare us! We'll give anything you want!" The gang members begged for their lives. Rock was now confused. What should he do? Should he call the police or just kill them? For all Rock knew, the police of Second Southtown was improving. The word on the street was that the police department was getting better. Rock only knew two people who were police officers. One was a private detective, Mary Ryan. She was also the love interest of his adoptive father, Terry Bogard. The other one, S.W.A.T officer, Kevin Rian, Mary's relative. Since he was not familiar with Rock that much, Rock decided to call him. And it didn't seem like a job for a detective, Rock had solved the case himself. He needed someone to clean the mess. Rock took out his cellphone and called Kevin's office.

It was 12:00 am, midnight. The righteous police officer was sitting on his chair. He hated being on duty at night. He was worried about Marky. The phone rang and grabbed Kevin's attention. Kevin looked at the time, who could call at midnight. But then again, bad guys never take time off. Kevin picked up the receiver and casually said. "SSPD (Second Southtown Police Department), how may I help you?" His tone was casual. "I have all the crime lords of Second Southtown tied up here with all the evidence. Come to the big warehouse on the outskirts of the city. Feel free to take the credit." Rock said. Kevin wasn't really familiar with Rock so he couldn't recognize his voice. But the statement had piqued his interest. "Is this some kind of joke?" Kevin thought of this as some kind of a prank. "What's the harm in checking yourself? It's still better than staying cooped up in that office of yours." Kevin could hear the mockery in the caller's voice. The person definitely knew of his routine. "If you want it then come get it. I'll be going now." Rock said and hanged up. He knew that Kevin would come. Everyone knew who the crime lords were but no one had the evidence. They would get arrested but they would be released because of lack of evidence. The police department had almost lost hope expect a few like Kevin Rian. Kevin had a strong sense of justice and he wanted to help the people of Second Southtown.

Rock destroyed his cell phone and threw it in the lake. He didn't want his phone to get tracked. It would be a problem for him to get caught by the police. Rock left the camera on a table in the warehouse. He got on his bike and ignited the engine. He looked towards the huge tower in the city, Heinlein Tower. He couldn't see it but he knew that his uncle was standing there and watching him. He could feel it. He drove away in the night back to the tower to report. He felt that his uncle had all of this planned.

Rock reached the Heinlein Tower. He looked at the time, it was quite late. He made his way up to the top floor. His uncle was still there. It seemed that he was waiting for him. "So, you did the job?" He asked, amused. Rock wasn't in the mood to play. "Yeah, I got them arrested." Rock said, coldly. There was still no change in Kain's expression. "Come on nephew, why the long face? You helped Second Southtown by getting them arrested. You didn't do anything illegal." Kain said.

Rock's head was getting filled many questions. "Why me? Couldn't you do it yourself?" He asked, looking him directly in the eye. Kain was unfazed by that question. "Rock, I want you to face the reality. Running away from your problems isn't the solution to them. If you keep running from them, they will come to haunt you later in your life." Kain stood up from his place and stood in front of the glass wall behind him. He looked down at the city. "People used to go to bed early before I came." He said in a low voice. "Rock, when I first saw you. I saw a _coward_." Kain said. He didn't hold back. Rock just clenched his fist. "You were afraid to face the truth. _This truth._ If you want to clear your name or make a name, you have to _earn_ it. And you were hiding under the name of Bogard all these years. Seriously, I can't believe Marie raised you to be this weak." Kain said with his eyes narrowed and the mockery in his voice.

Rock was obviously offended by that statement. "At least she kept you from following into Geese's footsteps. And most of all, she kept you _alive_." Kain said with a hint of remorse in his voice when he spoke about his sister. "If you want to live a peaceful life, then redeem yourself, in your own eyes. Today, you took the first step towards it. By cleaning some of the mess, your father had made." Kain said, no hint of emotion in his voice. But it was making sense to Rock. Was his uncle trying to help him? He could not understand Kain's purpose for being in Second Southtown. Rock's brain flooded with questions.

Kain looked at his watch, it was 1:00am. "It's late. Go get some sleep." He said to his nephew, still looking down from the window. Rock exited the office. When Kain was sure that he was gone, he looked up at the moon from his window. Kain slightly smiled at the sight. _'He's a lot like you, Marie.'_ Kain thought to himself. A slight smile found its way on his face as he remembered his elder sister.

* * *

 _ **That was it. Hope you guys enjoyed. Leave a review. I will try to be as regular as I can. Any ideas you have, you can message me or leave a review about it. For those who couldn't figure out the plot. Wait for the next chapters. More to come soon. Leave a review. BYE!**_


	2. New Allies

_**Hey guys! Welcome back to this story again. Hope you guys enjoyed the first one. Here's chapter 2. So, without further ado, let's begin.**_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 2: New Allies.**_

The next day, the news was all over the place. The crime lords were arrested and were "brought to justice". Kevin was getting high praise in Second Southtown because he was the one who led the squad that made the arrest. But the person who got the spotlight was none other than Kain R. Heinlein. Never in the history of Second Southtown, had law been able to catch criminals and put an end to their crimes for good. People were starting to think that Kain's presence wasn't bad after all. Besides, the streets were safer than before. Something that people thought was impossible; Kain did it in a month. Other than that, businesses were booming in Kain's reign. A lot of people were happy. Attention was being paid to schools and hospitals. New buildings were being constructed. Jobs were being handed out. A lot of people in Second Southtown had jobs although a lot of people were still unemployed. Kain R. Heinlein was considered as the 'Savior' of Second Southtown and he achieved that title in just a month.

Rock was surprised to see the work his uncle was doing in a day. He had a load of paperwork on his desk. And it increased a lot every few minutes when his secretary brought in more paperwork. Kain was buried in work. If this continued, the whole office was to be buried in files and documents in under an hour. His secretary came in again but this time, she didn't come with a bundle of files in her hand. "Mr. Heinlein, the people from news network are here. They want to ask you some questions." She said looking at the man buried in work.

Kain stopped for a moment and then stood up from his place. "Very well, I'll speak with them." He said and then looked at his nephew who was sitting on the couch. Rock also looked back at his uncle. "Rock, deal with these while I'm gone." Kain said, glancing at the mountain of files on his table. He then looked at his secretary. "Miss Jane, help him with it. I'm counting on you." Kain said politely and with a slight smile. "Yes sir." The secretary obediently said. Kain left and Rock went and picked up a bundle of files from Kain's table. He started to examine them. The secretary began to explain to him on how to deal with them. And an hour passed and both of them were done with almost half of the files. Rock was exhausted, he never thought of paperwork to be this exhausting. "Mr. Howard, we're almost done. We should do it before Mr. Heinlein comes back." Jane said, as she picked up another bundle of files from the table and brought it back to the couch.

Rock knew it in the back of his head that Kain wouldn't be back until they're done. Kain intended to have Rock do the work, probably so he could learn about it. Rock just let out a sigh at that thought. Kain sure was a clever person. "Miss Jane, don't mind me asking but how long has it been since you started working here?" Rock asked as he was curious. He could tell from the way she looked at Kain, she admired him. Was there something between the two?

Jane looked at Rock for a moment. Rock was afraid that he might have hit a landmine. "Exactly one month." She replied, remembering. That was interesting. Kain had been in control for one month. "So... he hired you the day he came in power?" Rock asked.

Jane was taken aback by that question. She stayed silent for a moment. "Well, Mr. Heinlein... I kind of ran into him." She hesitantly replied. And she started to tell her story. "My father was in debt due to gambling. I wanted to help my parents out with finances. I was educated as well but I couldn't find work due to corruption being everywhere in Second Southtown. I saw Mr. Heinlein once. I thought he was a person who had businesses or a company of his own. I had already lost hope on finding work that my degree guaranteed but I still decided to give it a last try. After Mr. Heinlein learned about my qualifications, he hired me right away. Not to mention, he also paid off my father's debt and paid for the medical expenses for my mother who was in hospital due to illness. There are still many people who think that Mr. Heinlein isn't a good person but that's not the case. If it weren't for him, me and my parents would be dead in slums. He's the best that has happened to Second Southtown." Jane took a long breath after she finished her story. Rock was speechless. Kain had _helped_ her. Kain helped someone in their hardest times. But why would he display himself as a emotionless person? Why did he display himself as someone who did not care about others?

But Rock was also amazed by the patience of the lady in front of him. She definitely was an example of never losing hope. "Wow, you made it really far." That was all he could say. The older woman just smiled. "We all have good and bad times in our lives. It's always _Darkest before dawn._ " She said. Rock could feel those wise words being absorbed by him.

"Well then, shall we finish the rest of the work?" Jane said picking up another file from the table. Rock also followed her and picked up a file. The two buried themselves in work again. But for Rock, things seemed different now. His uncle might be a good person. After all, he was his mother's younger brother.

When Kain returned to his office, he saw Rock leaning back on the couch. He was exhausted. Jane was checking to make sure if the work was done properly. "Is everything OK, Miss Jane?" Kain asked, startling Jane while Rock just moved his eyes to the door where his uncle was standing. "Yes, everything is fine. The work has been dealt with." Jane said, gaining her composure. "My, that's really kind of you. You managed to finish all of it. Thank you." Kain said with his usual light smile as he sat down on his chair. "Miss Jane, you can have the rest of the day off." Kain said, closing his eyes.

"I'm fine, really." Jane said, trying to assure her boss. But Kain was a person who knew all. "You have a headache. Besides, your mother visited. She said, you were looking a lot stressed these days. There's nothing wrong with taking break if it's going to be good for your health." Kain said leaning towards the desk.

Jane was surprised that Kain knew about her state. The work was really stressful. "T-Thank you." She said and left the room, leaving Rock and Kain alone. Rock's face was towards the ceiling but the he was looking at his uncle. His red eyes were locked on the man sitting in front of him. What was he? What was his purpose?

"You look tired." Kain said as he ran his eyes through some of the files in front of him. And he wasn't wrong. Rock made it obvious by leaning back on the couch. "Well, what can I do after you leave us with all the work?" Rock said looking away from his uncle.

Kain had the ability to make anyone look bad at will. "Miss Jane didn't show any signs of fatigue. Why don't you learn a thing or two from her?" Kain's statement made Rock embarrassed. He was right; she didn't seem tired at all.

"You know, you don't need to hide the fact that you're doing something good." Rock said, letting out a sigh.

Kain raised his eyebrow on that. "When did I say that I was doing something bad? I already have a motive; I came here to bring Second Southtown back on its feet. I intend to make the people of Second Southtown strong. In this world, only the strong survives. Remember that." Kain said. Rock was left dumbfounded. His uncle never intended anything bad in the first place.

* * *

It was 11:50 pm and King was wrapping things up at her bar. Only three people were sitting at the counter. It was Ryo Sakazaki, Andy Bogard and Mai Shiranui. The blonde haired karate master looked frustrated. "It's been too quiet lately." He said, taking a sip from his drink.

Andy could only agree with him. He had seen Southtown in its bad days. When people like Geese and Krauser used to run things. He had seen it all. People used to live in fear back in the day. The streets were never safe. Their men were always crawling in every part of the city. But now, there were no police sirens, no gunshots and no sounds of people fighting on the streets.

King on the other hand was not happy about the fact that Ryo had his head in these kinds of matters. Instead of enjoying the peace they had been granted, he had been wondering why it had been quiet lately. "It's been quiet ever since those crime lords were arrested. I've been informed that this time there was solid evidence against them. They won't be able to get away this time." She said, putting a glass back in its place. "And Ryo, you need to stop thinking about this for now. Let's just enjoy the peace. Finally, people of Second Southtown are able to live a better life. Not to mention, it's better for us as well. We would be able to spend more time with each other because there won't be any bad guys for us to stop now." She said. King was usually the shy one when it came to their relationship but she had become more confident as the time passed.

"That's right. Now Andy won't have to be worried about Second Southtown's miserable state and he can at least be peaceful back home in Japan." Mai added her two cents.

"And making Second Southtown a better place isn't our job to begin with. We won't be able to do it even if we try. We've taken down the bad guys many times but they just keep coming one after another." King said with her French accent as she crossed her arms.

"You're right. All we can do is fight. But Kain, he's got Rock on his side." Andy said. "All I heard from Terry was that it was Rock's decision to join him." Andy was worried about Rock.

Mai hated it when Andy was worried. "It's gonna be ok. Rock's a big boy now." She said as she placed a hand on Andy's shoulder smiling to assure him that everything will be ok.

"So, how's your disciple, Andy? I heard from Marco that he was a really strong fighter." Ryo said, changing topics. After all, it had been a while since the younger Bogard had come to Second Southtown. It wouldn't be nice to worry him about his adoptive-nephew. They should have a good time.

"He's no longer my disciple." Andy smiled, remembering Hokutomaru. "I see him as my rival now. How are things going on your side?" Andy asked.

"I don't teach as much as I did before. Marco is the one who's usually teaching. Dad also teaches sometimes whenever he feels like it. Robert is in Italy. He has taken over his father's business. Yuri on the other hand, has been studying architecture. She's an architect now. God knows what that girl wants to do." Ryo said. Being a little worried about his sister.

"She's not a kid anymore, Ryo." King said, defending her friend. Yuri had really complained a lot about his brother's and father's over-protective behavior. She was an adventurous person but her brother and father were still scarred by the past. They were worried for her.

"Architecture? Now that you mention it, she always had a thing for designing. She isn't bad either." Mai said, remembering her friend. She couldn't call it Yuri's hobby. It was more of a skill.

And just then, Yuri Sakazaki entered the place. She seemed very happy. Everyone wondered what could make her really happy.

"Mai, when did you come?" Yuri happily exclaimed as she ran up to her friend and hugged her. "I missed you." She said.

"Oh, I missed you too." Mai said, returning the her hug.

When all the greetings were done, she spoke up. "King, bring out some good wine. We have to celebrate this." Yuri exclaimed. There was no ending to this happiness. Everyone was amused by her behaviour. Not to mention, they were curious as well.

"Celebrate what?" Ryo asked. He was the most curious one of them all. It regarded his little sister after all.

"I finally got a client." Yuri happily announced. "And he isn't just an ordinary client. He's the most famous person in Second Southtown. It's Kain R. Heinlein." She said.

Everyone was even more curious now. "What does Kain want?" Ryo asked with a little bit of anger in his voice. What could he possibly want? The man was mysterious as hell.

Yuri crossed her arms and proudly cocked her head in the air. "It's the biggest project in Second Southtown. He wants me to design an amusement park!" She said with a proud smile.

Everyone was surprised by what she had said. "What?!" Ryo said incredulously. That's what Kain had asked her to do.

"That's actually nice." King admitted. "Now that I think about it, there never was any amusement park in Southtown. I'd really like to go to one." King wishfully said.

"Me too." Mai said in the same tone.

"You've never been to an amusement park, Mai? There are tons in Japan." King looked at her friend in disbelief.

"Well, my boyfriend is a workaholic. Besides, we live in a village up in the mountains. There are no amusement parks there." Mai said with a grumpy attitude.

"Well, we can go together then." King said excitedly and Mai got excited with her.

"Was there anything Kain asked you to do?" Andy looked back at Yuri.

"Well," Yuri put her finger to her chin, trying to remember, "He has hired a lot architects for different things. Like, more schools, parks, hospitals, and other stuff like that." She replied.

"That's actually not bad." King said. "Maybe peace has found its way to Second Southtown." King was happy. She could finally live a _happy_ life.

"That's right." Yuri agreed.

"Um, Mr. Andy," A voice said from behind them. It was Sally, one of the waitresses.

"Yes?" Andy turned his attention to her. She seemed hesitant.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" She hesitantly asked. Andy was interested because of her behaviour. She never spoke to him like that. She didn't want to go out with him, which was for damn sure cause Mai made sure to show everyone that he was hers. And she would kill any other woman who tried to go out with Andy.

"Sure." Andy said as he got up. Andy had a feeling that she wanted to talk to him in private.

A few moments later they were standing behind the bar, in the same alley where Rock had encountered Sally.

"So, what did you want to say?" Andy asked, crossing his arms, a sharp look in his eyes. He knew that the matter was serious.

"Well, it's about Rock..." Sally began.

* * *

"Rock," Kain said to his nephew who was sitting on the couch in his office, "I need you to go the Adelheid Bernstein and his sister, Rose and ask them to become our ally. They will make a strong ally. Not to mention, they can also help the people of Second Southtown." Kain said.

"Bernstein? You mean, like Rugal Bernstein?" Rock leaned forward as the name had grabbed his interest. He didn't know that Rugal had kids. All he knew about Rugal was that he was also a wicked person, just like Geese. Just one thought came to Rock's mind. Were they like their father?

"Worry not, nephew. They are not like their father." Kain assured his nephew. "And just so you know, Rose was mind-controlled by a person named Botan. She is one of 'Those from the Past'. They tried to bring back Orochi using the time gate. They were unsuccessful in their purpose but three members are still alive. One of them is Botan." Kain explained.

"Sounds like something not everyone should know." Rock said, crossing his arms.

Kain smiled at his nephew's smartness. "Well yes, it should be kept a secret." Kain said. "But if they do not agree to be our allies. Just say that I know about Botan's whereabouts." Kain told his nephew. "And come back alive if possible. The security level is really high. Not to mention, Adelheid is a good fighter himself. And remember; don't let emotions come into the way of your mission. The results are never good if emotions are involved." Kain said. "They're currently located in the skies of Japan." Kain said. Rock only raised an eyebrow at that statement. "Adelheid is the owner of Sky Noah, previously owned by Rugal. It's like a castle in the sky." Kain explained to his nephew. "Do whatever you have to do to make them our allies. But, keep one thing in mind. Adelheid is on really good terms with Heidern. Now we don't want Ikari Warriors to cause any trouble for us. Make sure to tell him to keep it all a secret." Kain explained.

"Don't worry. I'll come back alive." Rock said as he got up from his place and proceeded to walk out of the room.

Rock knew where to go and what to do. The air around him had completely changed. He was more fearless and more confident. He had been working undercover for Kain, driving out gangs that were in Second Southtown. Beating thugs to a pulp not only gave him a chance to vent his rage but also stay in touch. He now knew Second Southtown like the back of his hand. But he knew that Adelheid won't be like any other gang leader. He will definitely make a strong opponent.

Rock went to his apartment and began to pack the things he would need. He got his stuff and made for the airport. He got on the plane. But during the the while flight, he felt that he was being watched. But it felt familiar though, very familiar. But, there was something else in the plane that Rock was weak against, _women_. He was still bashful when it came to women. He didn't know how to deal with them. There were a lot of women in the place who were staring at him. Rock could not help but get embarrassed. His beautiful red eyes, handsome face and golden locks didn't help in the situation. They only attracted more eyes towards him. Rock had red marks on his cheeks all the flight. He was nervous as hell. Even the air hostess had tried to hit on him, poor guy. Working with Kain only taught him how to hold a conversation with the opposite sex. It didn't teach him how to deal with women staring at him or how to respond when girls would hit at him.

The place finally landed in Osaka. Rock got off the flight in a rush. He wanted to get off as soon as possible. He was feeling uncomfortable after all. He could do without it. But the feeling of someone watching him still hadn't gone. He knew that he was being spied on. He could feel it. But why did it so familiar? He decided to find out who was spying on him. But there were a lot of people at the airport. It was impossible to rat out the spy. He took a taxi and went to a hotel and just as he had suspected, Kain had made the arrangements there as well. The room was booked for him already. Rock was surprised when he saw that his bike was parked outside the hotel. Kain really pulled his plans off with perfection. Not to mention, he really liked people who worked with him and decided to work along with him. He had his own ideals and morals but he hated those who could not stand up for themselves.

"Rock" A voice said from behind. The voice was oddly familiar. And Rock instantly recognized the voice upon hearing it.

Rock turned around to face the person and see who it was. And as expected, it was Andy Bogard. He was glad to see him. he hadn't seen him in a long time. He did miss his _family_ after all. "Uncle Andy," Rock said in a low voice.

Andy didn't look really happy to meet him. Arms crossed and narrowed eyes. "Rock, we need to talk about something." He said with a stern voice.

"What do you want to talk about? Is it about the fact that I joined Kain?" Rock raised his eyebrows. "Well, he isn't doing anything illegal."

"No, it's about your behavior. Why did you threaten Sally?" He coldly asked. Andy's anger wasn't showing but Rock could feel it.

"Uncle Andy, I didn't do anything wrong. She knew about their whereabouts, then why didn't she report to the police? Keeping criminals' information secret is a crime as well." Rock said in his defense. But Rock was calm. He knew how to win an argument. _Another perk of working with Kain_.

"Well, the crime lords had threatened her that if she would say a word about it to anyone then her family would be killed. What else could she do?" Andy said in her defense.

"If there is one thing I have learned until now. It's that you have to go through pains to achieve something. And you know it. Even your father died while protecting Southtown. God knows how many times you guys have fought mafia members to save Southtown. And I know that it was painful to go through all that." Rock said, his voice was displaying some emotion now. "As for Miss Sally, I made sure that her family and friends were protected by our men so they could not be harmed. Everything was planned." Rock said.

Andy was more or less convinced by that statement. Rock had really grown up. "I did it for the greater good. If you want to blame me, then go ahead. But now she and her family are safe. All the gangs were given a death sentence, remember? I don't care if anyone thinks what I did was wrong. All I'm doing is cleaning the mess Geese Howard made." Rock said as he mounted his bike and drove off. Andy just stood there, he was amazed at how much Rock had matured.

Rock got a call from Kain telling him to go to Chizuru Kagura. Apparently, the Bernstein siblings were there. After all, Bernstein Industries and Kagura Enterprises were partners. Not to mention, both of them hated Orochi and 'Those from the Past'. Rock raced his bike and moved towards the place. If possible, he would try to get both of them in his favor. That would be really helpful. And it would be really better for Second Southtown. But Rock still wondered why would Kain want to make allies? He was so rich that he could take a shit and wipe his butt with money. That's how rich he was, yet still. What was his purpose?

Rock stopped outside a huge shrine. It was no surprise since he had heard that Chizuru Kagura was a priestess. A shrine would a natural place. He chained up his bike and moved towards the shrine.

Inside, Chizuru Kagura was talking to Adelheid and Rose about business matters but the center of their discussion was 'Those from the Past'. They were still talking when all of a sudden, Chizuru stopped talking. The guardian of the Orochi seal could feel it. A presence of evil had entered her shrine.

Chizuru's sudden silence made the Bernstein siblings curious. "Is there something wrong, Miss Kagura?" Adelheid asked. It was really unusual for her to stop during a conversation.

Chizuru said nothing and stood up from her place. "I'll be back after a while." She had never sensed this kind of presence is her entire life. It was strange. It felt evil but it felt good at the same time. She walked out to the entrance to see who it was. She saw a young blonde boy with black jeans, dark grey hoodie and black shoes standing next to his Honda Bike.

Rock had heard from Kain that Chizuru was also a victim of Botan. So, it may be easy for him to convince Kagura Enterprises and Bernstein Industries to align with them. Rock saw the woman standing at the entrance dressed in a priestess outfit. She looked to be in her early thirties. He walked up to her.

"Are you Chizuru Kagura?" He asked in Japanese, a little bit of nervousness in his voice. He wasn't usually the one to start the conversation with the opposite sex. Andy had taught him how to speak Japanese whenever he would visit. And Rock had learned it in a very short time. He was a genius after all.

"Yes, that's me." Chizuru nodded, "And you are?" She asked in reply.

Rock hesitated for a bit. Thinking for a moment what Kain was thinking sending the son of infamous Geese Howard to make allies. But he had to answer no matter what. No point in running away from fate. "I'm Rock Howard. I came here on behalf of Kain R. Heinlein." He introduced himself. A little bit of nervousness in his voice.

"Howard?" Chizuru raised her eyebrow. She had heard that name before and she didn't hear anything good about it either. "That sounds familiar." She said; her voice had no emotion whatsoever. It was _cold._

"What is it that you want from me?" Chizuru asked. The son of Geese Howard was standing in front of her. He should be there for a purpose after all.

"It doesn't just involve you. This regards the Bernstein siblings as well." Rock replied in a robotic tone. He was nervous. Bashful when it came to women and the fact that Chizuru was looking at him in an intimidating way didn't help it.

"Come inside. We'll talk there." Chizuru said and began to walk back inside the building. Rock followed her. Rock was amazed to see the beautiful wooden walls and floor. The entire place was made out of wood. It must have cost a lot. But then again, Kagura Enterprises was one of the leading business organizations.

Chizuru knew that Rock or the person named Kain R. Heinlein wasn't an ordinary person as they knew of the Bernstein siblings. It wasn't easy to know where they were since they were always on the move, mostly in the sky. Rock followed Chizuru into the room where she was talking with Adel and Rose. Rock was a bit surprised when he saw the Bernstein siblings. They had almost the same features. Maroon eyes and light blonde hair. They were siblings alright. But the only difference they had with Rock was that he had red eyes instead of maroon.

"Adel and Rose, meet Rock Howard. He has something to talk about which regards us." Chizuru said, taking a seat. Rock also helped himself and took a seat. Now, he was sitting face to face with the three people.

Rock took a deep breath. "I'm here on behalf of my uncle, Kain R. Heinlein, the current leader of Second Southtown." Rock said.

"So, what is it you want to talk about?" Adel asked.

"I am here on behalf of Kain R. Heinlein to make a pact of alliance with you Kagura Enterprises and Bernstein Industries." Rock said. He was straightforward and blunt with his statements. There was no use in beating around the bush.

"As much as I know about Kain R. Heinlein is that he took over Geese Howard's place to rule Second Southtown. Many other fighters have seemed to find him suspicious. Like how could the every crime lord in Second Southtown get arrested in a single night? And how has he managed to stay in control until now? Why has no one appeared to challenge him yet? How come that any of the fighters that are present in Second Southtown haven't stood up against him?" Rose countered with a barrage of questions.

"First of all, Kain isn't planning anything bad. Second of all, take a look at these pictures. Second Southtown is progressing really fast under his reign." Rock put a bunch of pictures on the table which showed a progressing Second Southtown. "A lot of people have gotten jobs and the crime rate has fallen. In fact, the corruption from the police department is gone now. One of the officers was able to infiltrate the crime lords' hideouts and was able to arrest them red-handed. It's never happened in the history of the city. And there are still more plans for its progress." Rock answered with a little bit of false statement about Kevin catching the crime-lords. Well, he did _arrest_ them but Rock was the one who got the job done.

"So, you guys need funds for further progress?" Adelheid guessed.

"No." Rock gave a short reply.

"Then why?" Adelheid asked.

"We have all the funds we need. What we need is your trust. Instead, aligning with us will prove to be more beneficial to you than to us." Rock said, calmly. He was in the zone. He had attended meetings with Kain. He knew how to give a presentation.

"How will it benefit us?" Chizuru asked. Rock's last statement had raised their curiosity and gained their interests. Rock knew that he had won.

"Miss Rose and Miss Kagura," Rock looked at the two females. "You two have been mind-controlled by someone who is a member of 'Those from the Past', haven't you?" Rock asked. He knew it but he wanted to see their reactions. Chizuru narrowed her eyes while Rose gritted her teeth. But Adelheid, even though he looked calm on the surface, his muscles had tensed up. He was _excited_.

"So?" Chizuru asked.

"Her name is Botan. And her currently her whereabouts are unknown. But not to Kain, he knows of her whereabouts." Rock said in a calm tone.

"So you're saying that if we align with you guys, you'll tell us of her whereabouts?" Rose guessed. She was excited as well. She had forgiven Botan for mind-controlling her but not Chizuru.

"No, when did I say that? We'll bring her to you ourselves. Like I said, aligning with us will benefit you." Rock said with a smile while running a through his hair. But the fact that Rock was looking at Rose when he smiled was enough to make her blush. She had been staring at him but when she saw him do that gesture; it was game over for her.

"So, are you in?" Rock asked, looking at the three people in front of him.

"The Kagura Enterprises will love to have a partnership with Kain R. Heinlein." Chizuru said, smiling lightly. She seemed relaxed. Botan really seemed to bother her a lot and had become a burden on her mind. Well, it would only be natural to get revenge against someone who mind-controlled you. The same case was with Rose. But Adelheid was excited since he had promised his sister that he would surely punish Botan for her actions.

They had just made the deal when it started to rain cats and dogs. The weather was cloudy but it wasn't expected to rain. Rock looked a bit uneasy. He would have to drive in the rain and reach the hotel completely soaked in water. Plus, the hotel was three miles away from his current location.

"Since it's raining, I would like all three of you to stay here for the night." Chizuru said.

"N-no, it's not that big of a deal. I shall leave. B-besides, you were already in the middle of a meeting when I came." He nervously said. He had dropped his calm demeanor. His true nature was showing, a young man who was nervous around women.

"I insist. I would not want my guest to wake up having a fever next day." Chizuru said in a calm manner.

"It'll be good if you stay. Besides, we would be able to discuss more about our partnership and some other matters." Adelheid said, encouraging him to stay. Rose was unusually quiet. She seemed _happy._

* * *

It was a starry sky in Second Southtown. Something that Kain loved. He was standing in the cemetery in front of two graves, Marie Howard and Abel Cameron (Grant), his sister and friend. He was reminiscing of the memories he had with them. That was until his phone went off. He attended the call.

"What do have for me, Hein?" Kain asked.

"Well apparently, Botan is in Second Southtown. You can find her yourself. Things are getting too easy for you." Hein said.

"Well, we both know that it wasn't this easy to get where I am. Thanks for the information." Kain said as he hung up.

It was time to rat out Botan and capture her.

* * *

 _ **That was it for this chapter. Hope you guys enjoyed. Leave a review. Let me know what you think. I might add a little bit of Rock and Rose in the next chapter. Stay tuned for the next chapter. Until then, stay awesome.**_


	3. New Place

_**Welcome back to the story, guys. Hope you guys enjoyed the last chapter. Here's the new one. Thank you for your support until now.**_

* * *

 **Chapter 3: New Place.**

Hein put down the receiver of the phone when he heard a voice from behind. "Hein, what are you doing?" It was a female voice. Hein turned around to face the person, standing behind him. It was Lilly Cane, his wife.

"Just helping a friend out," He smiled at his wife as he walked towards her.

"Well, just don't get too involved. I don't want my husband to get hurt." Lilly smiled as she put her arms around his neck.

"Don't worry." Hein said as he put his hands on her waist. "Why don't we go to sleep? It's getting late."

"I was thinking the same thing." Lilly smiled. And grabbed his hand and led him to their bedroom. For... well, you get the idea.

It had been only two days since they had gotten married. Lilly was surprised when she found out that her Billy was ok with it. Usually, he would not let her get in any kind of relationship but he knew that Hein was different. Hein had worked with Billy before under Geese. But after Geese's death, both of them had left the underworld and decided to return to their respective countries and live a peaceful life. And Hein was living a stable life. He owned a restaurant of his own in Germany. So, Billy had no qualms. And most of all, Hein was a gentleman. Since Hein had worked with Billy in the past, Billy knew what kind of a person Hein was. Sure he had a sadistic side, but that was only for his enemies. That was the reason why Billy believed that he would be able to protect Lilly and keep her happy. But despite all that, Billy was still single. He couldn't get into a relationship because of his fearsome past. Any girl who would hear that he used to work for Geese would just leave. Anyone would be afraid of Geese Howard's right hand man.

* * *

Rock Howard was in the kitchen, cooking dinner for himself and his new allies while Chizuru, Adel and Rose were sitting in the gigantic living room.

"You really don't have to do this." Chizuru said, walking up to him.

Rock got nervous as she came closer to him. "N-no, I-it's fine. Really, you're letting me stay, after all. I figured I should do something to repay you." He said as drops of sweat are formed on his forehead.

Chizuru could only sigh. Was he really the son of Geese Howard? He was a nice kid. Why was he working for Kain? He should be out there living a happy life.

"So, why are you working for Kain?" Chizuru finally asked. This question had been on her mind for a while now.

"Well, I'm doing what Adel and Miss Bernstein are doing. Cleaning the mess my father made." That was the best reply he could give. There is nothing worse than being held accountable for something you're not responsible for. And Rock had been ridiculed as a child just because he was the son of Geese Howard. Just for that. He didn't have any choice. He did not choose his parents yet still; he was blamed just because of his name. But his whole life changed after he was adopted by Terry.

"So, who taught you to cook?" Chizuru asked casually. But little did she know that she had hit a landmine. The question had struck Rock like a lightning bolt.

Rock stopped his activities for a moment and just stood still. He had learned from _watching_ his mother. Just from watching.

"Well, Terry wasn't that good of a chef so I had to learn it so we can have better food." Rock replied while smiling. He missed Terry. He often wondered how he would be doing. Was he eating healthy? He was gaining weight already. Rock immediately shrugged these kinds of thoughts from his mind.

"I'd like you all to keep this quiet. About Botan, I mean if anyone knows about it, then the deal will be over." Rock looked at the Bernstein siblings as he said that. He gave them a look which told them that he knew that they were the ones who were usually in contact with Heidern.

"Sure." Adelheid replied. He wondered how Rock knew of their contacts with Heidern. What else did he know about them? He was curious.

Rock put the dishes down on the table after he was done cooking. Chizuru helped him in that. After that, they began to eat. To their surprise, Rock was a pretty good chef. They really enjoyed the meal.

* * *

Back in Southtown, a girl was wandering on the busy and _happy_ streets of Second Southtown. She was surprised at first when she saw the city. It was clean and looked nothing like a homeland for criminals. Botan was lost now. Second Southtown was the only place she could escape to because of Heidern, Chizuru Kagura and Bernstein siblings. They had tracked her down in Japan. She could barely escape their men in Japan. But she knew that Second Southtown was a place which was controlled by the criminals. And that was the place where big organizations like Kaugura Enterprises and Bernstein Industries couldn't do as they want. But Botan was surprised when she saw that the city looked nothing like she had heard. She thought there would be dump everywhere and people would be living in fear. The streets would be dangerous for normal people. But the image in front of her eyes was totally different. People were going out to their workplaces. Kids were running off to their schools or their parents were dropping them to schools. The shops were opening up. The city seemed _alive_. Botan was pissed off. But she was glad that at least she wasn't wanted in Second Southtown. She had somehow sneaked into the police station and saw the wanted list. She wasn't on the list. Well, she never committed a crime, did she? Other than helping Saiki gain the power of Orochi to destroy the world. But that never happened. So, it really wasn't a crime. It can't be a crime unless it's committed. And she had mind-controlled Chizuru and Rose, two of the most powerful women in business organization. Well, that was a crime.

Botan tried to keep a low profile since she was afraid that she would get recognized by the fighters who lived in Second Southtown. Not that they knew much about her but they sure did know about 'Those from the Past'. If anyone found out about one of the members of a _cult_ which wanted to destroy the world, that member would be a goner, which was for sure.

It was easy to walk around freely in the day since women who were housewives were at their homes, kids were at schools and those who were employed were at their workplaces. It was basically like a normal city. Botan just decided to take advantage of the freedom she had and began to explore the place. Maybe she could find a gang and take over it. Alleys are never the safest of places but that's where most of the goons hang out. But to her disappointment, she couldn't find a single person who looked like he was in a gang. It was either someone running to their workplace or kids who were running to their schools because they were late. Botan was just walking down the street in with her head down low. She was disappointed. She expected Second Southtown to be the homeland for crime but instead it was a peaceful city. She was walking when she caught a sight of her reflection outside a shop. Her dressing was a bit _attracting_. She was wearing fur around her neck, her belly was exposed and the shorts revealed her legs. That would just cause her unwanted attention of some perverts.

Luckily, the shop she had stopped in front of was a shop of clothing. She stepped into the shop. She saw a variety of female clothing around her. And that to _every_ woman, is a paradise. Women love _shopping_ and that's a universal fact. **Now a message to the public:** _**A lot of men suffer every day because their mother, sister, girlfriend or wife spends a lot of time shopping.**_

 **Back to the story,** Botan was amazed to see those colorful clothes around her. While she was working for Saiki, she had been paid _a lot._ Her wallet was full and she could go for a few months in her current state. She decided to buy some clothes for herself. She happened to watch the news at the shop. _All the crime lords were arrested and there was no crime in Second Southtown._ Well, there goes her plan for taking over a gang.

She looked at the two female employees that were present in the store at the time. "Ever since Kain R. Heinlein came to Second Southtown, things have changed a lot." One of them said. Botan looked at the T.V which was broadcasting one of the interviews that Kain had given regarding the arrest of the crime lords. The man was a looker.

"Yes, you're right. He's the best thing that's happened to Second Southtown." The other one nodded her head in agreement.

 _'Kain R. Heinlein, huh?'_ Botan thought to herself. _'He must be the person in charge.'_

Botan got back to shopping. She came out of the store with shopping bags in her hand. She was wearing different clothes. She was wearing jeans, high heeled shoes and a T-shirt with a jacket on top. She felt like a queen. She did so much shopping. Now, she needed a place to stay. She was walking down the street when she felt someone's presence behind her. She could easily tell that whoever it was, danger lurked from within. She turned around at a neckbreak speed. She saw a handsome man wearing a black suit, long blonde hair and red eyes, one hand in his pocket. She recognized his face immediately. It was Kain R. Heinlein, the man who was currently in charge of Second Southtown.

"Miss Botan, I'm going to need you to come with me." He calmly said with a smile.

"What do you want?" Botan said as she narrowed her eyes. She could sense it, the dangerous aura around him.

His expression didn't change when he was asked that question. He was still smiling.

"I'd like to discuss some things with you. Although, I do not think that this is the right place." He calmly replied.

Was he aware of her previous acts? Did he know who she was? A train of thoughts ran through her mind. But she could sense that he wasn't just _anyone_. He was really strong. He wouldn't go down without a fight.

Botan didn't want to get involved in a fight at this time. Not in her current situation. She ran from Japan just because of this reason. She wanted to avoid trouble. Botan dropped her stuff and just made a run for it. She didn't want to engage in a fight with him. It had become a universal fact at this point that only the powerful can rule a place like Second Southtown. And Kain R. Heinlein definitely didn't look like an ordinary person. He had a dangerous vibe around him. And Botan had learned from watching people like Saiki, Ash and Iori Yagami that no matter how good looking the face is, there is something much worse behind it.

Kain just watched Botan run away. He just sighed and softly looked at her running away from him. _'I guess I can give her a head start.'_ He thought to himself.

After a few seconds, he began to sprint right after her. He was fast, really fast. Botan ran into a dark alley but found out there was no other way out. She had reached a dead end. She just smirked. This place was perfect for her. She set the whole place with her strings. The moment he will enter, she would tie him up and then control his mind. If she could control him, she would be able to control all of the Second Southtown. It would be perfect.

Kain reached the alley and saw her standing at the end. He wasn't tired at all. No signs of fatigue. And he wasn't even sweating. He smirked and walked towards her. Botan smirked; he had fallen into her trap. She pulled her hands together and soon Kain was tied up by the strings, stopping him in his tracks. They were invisible but he could surely feel them. But he was still unfazed. Botan could now control his mind.

But she was soon shocked. Why couldn't she control him?

Since reading one's emotions was Kain's special skill. "Why are you so shocked, Ms. Botan?" Kain asked as he smiled.

Botan looked at him in horror. "I'm sorry to tell you but your mind games won't work on me." Kain said and engulfed his whole body in violet flames and all of Botan's strings vanished. The dark alley was lit up by the flames. The flames burned the strings to the ground. He was free to move. The flames disappeared but they still covered one of his hands.

"We could've done this the easy way, Ms. Botan. Forgive me for this." Kain smiled as he brought his flaming hand near his face. His face shone in the dark alley because of his flames.

A female scream rose in the air but soon fainted away. Kain took his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed a number. "There are some things that I dropped at the crossing of 5th avenue and Second Street. Pick them up and bring them to me _now_." He said and put the cell phone back in his pocket.

Kain picked up Botan's unconscious body in his arms and walked away. Kain entered his apartment with Botan in his arms. He went to his bedroom and placed her on the bed. He took her shoes off and placed a sheet over her unconscious body.

Kain smiled. _'Now, when are you going to make your move, Adelheid?'_ Kain thought to himself.

* * *

Adelheid was sitting on the couch with his sister, Rose who was sipping on her cup of tea while Adel had not bothered to pick up the cup from the table. Rose looked at her brother. He seemed to be in deep thought. And he was. It had been a day since they had agreed to the offer which was provided to them and Chizuru Kagura by Rock. All this time, only one thing had bothered Adelheid. How was Kain R. Heinlein able to get information regarding Botan's whereabouts? Chizuru Kagura and Adelheid had tried their best to track her down but they were unable to do so. He asked Heidern to help them in tracking down Botan. Heidern's men were able to track her down but they failed to capture her. They weren't able to find her after that. So, how did Kain R. Heinlein knew of her whereabouts? And most of all; how was he aware of his connections with Heidern? No one knew about it other than Chizuru Kagura. And she couldn't have told Rock because she was also meeting him for the first time. But he would finally be able to punish Botan for mind-controlling his sister.

Rose was looking at her brother. He had never been so deep in his thoughts. She decided to bring him back to reality. "Big brother," She said in a voice loud enough so her brother could hear it over her thoughts.

And it did the work. "Huh?" Adel was taken by surprise. "What?" He looked at his younger sister.

She looked at him with annoyance. "Drink your tea while it's warm." She pointed towards the cup of tea that was sitting on the table untouched.

"Oh, sure," Adelheid picked up the cup of tea and took a sip from it. But he soon drifted away in his thoughts again.

Rose was annoyed now. What was bothering him? Couldn't he just say it out loud?

"Big brother," She said, "if there is something that you want to discuss then feel free to talk about it."

Adelheid looked at his sister. She had really changed after getting out of Botan's control. She was a much more responsible woman now. She used to be so full of herself but now she was caring. And really began to look out for her brother. She had realized that anything can happen at any time. It can be either good or bad. Life was really unexpected and it does not always go the way you want it to go.

"Well, I was thinking about the deal we just made." He replied. No point in hiding it from his sister.

"Well, to be honest," She suddenly became hesitant. "I'm not sure about it." She replied.

Adelheid was a bit surprised by her answer. He didn't show it though. "I thought you would be excited. She would finally get punished for her crimes." Adel said.

Rose put the cup of tea down on the table. "Well last night, I thought about it a lot. And it was because of her I realized the value of being in control of myself. I thought how horrible it would have been if I would've been a puppet forever? Even Miss Kagura said that I've changed in a good way. I think I can forgive her." Rose replied. Her voice was getting a little heavy because of the emotions.

Adelheid felt proud of her sister. From nowhere she looked or acted like the daughter of Rugal Bernstein. She had really changed. She had turned into a humble woman after what had happened to her.

"But there is still one more thing that is bothering me." Adelheid said. "How did Rock know of our connections with Heidern?" He finally said the thing that was bothering him the most.

Rose just sighed. "Even I don't know about that. Chances are that either someone from their side has informed them. Or they can have connections to Heidern as well. The other possibilities are that they have a spy who is spying on us or Heidern." Rose replied.

"No, I've checked that. There can't be a spy on our side. All our servants are loyal. And there can't be a spy on their side as well. Heidern can easily spot a spy." Adelheid replied.

"So, how does he know?" Rose asked as she laid back against the couch, letting out a sigh.

"I have no idea. But I think I may have to talk to Heidern about it." Adelheid said.

"You can't do that. Rock said that we can't do that." Rose retorted.

"Listen, you said that you can forgive Botan. If that's the case then we've got nothing to lose." Adelheid tried to persuade his sister.

"Yes, we have. What will Miss Chizuru think about us?" She said. She cared about Chizuru as she had grown quite closer to the older woman.

"Listen, Kain is a criminal. We're making a deal with a mafia boss. He may be hiding his motive from us. We have to tell Heidern about this. He's ruling the whole Second Southtown. Who knows what he might do to the city after he successfully closes the deal with us?" Adelheid said. "Do not worry about Miss Kagura. I'll talk to her."

Botan slowly opened her eyes. She felt _comfortable?_ When did she get go to bed? When did she get a place to live? And then she remembered. She remembered Kain's face. She jumped right up. She was wearing the clothes she had bought; her shoes were besides the bed. And her shopping bags were besides the wall in the bedroom. She looked out of the window. It was dark. It was morning when she had met Kain and now it was night. He had knocked her out for some hours. She got up and got out of the room. She saw a nice living room.

"It seems you have regained consciousness." Kain's voice could be heard from the counter.

Botan moved forward and saw Kain in the kitchen. He was _cooking_? He wasn't dressed in his tuxedo. He was wearing black sweatpants and a white T-shirt.

Botan was actually surprised to see him. What was she doing here?

"Go get fresh. The dinner is almost ready." Kain said.

But Botan wanted answers. "What am I doing here?" She asked angrily.

"After you refused to come with me, I had no other choice but to use force. And I brought you here after I knocked you unconscious." Kain replied. Still looking at the dish he was making.

"Well, it was a nice stay. I'll leave now." She said, putting her hands on her waist.

"You can't leave." Kain said with a serious tone in his voice. Serious enough to send chills down Botan's spine.

"You're not in control of that." She looked at him with narrowed eyes.

"There are people watching me. But they will show themselves eventually. As long as I'm being spied on, you'll have to stay here." Kain said. He finally looked at her.

"Why would I want to stay here?" She asked with annoyance.

"If you want to go to Bernstein siblings or Chizuru Kagura, feel free. But if you do not want that to happen, you'll have to stay here until the people who are watching me show themselves." Kain replied. It was legit danger.

Botan stayed silent for a few minutes. It was a big decision. But there was no other choice. Kain could tell that she had decided to stay.

"The food will be ready in five minutes." Kain said, looking back at the dish.

Botan quietly went back to the bedroom, to get changed and to get fresh. This place was where she was going to stay for a while.

The two ate dinner peacefully. Kain insisted for her to use the bed. While he himself slept on the couch. Botan felt bad but she had no other choice. _It was his place and things had to go by his rules._

* * *

 _ **Hope you guys enjoyed it. Stay tuned for the next chapter. Review and let me know what you think.**_


	4. Independence

_**First of all, I'd like to apologize for the last chapter. It wasn't that impressive. I had to rush it. Here's the next one. I hope you guys enjoy. Here's the next chapter.**_

* * *

 **Chapter 4:** **Independence**

On the Sky Noah, Adelheid was standing, holding his phone to his ear. "Heidern, I have something to tell you." He hurriedly said.

Heidern was surprised by the excitement in the young Bernstein's voice. "What is it?" He asked in his usual cold tone.

"You know Kain R. Heinlein? The guy who you think is suspicious." Adelheid replied.

"What about him?" Heidern asked getting a little pumped up. Even he had not been able to get any useful information regarding Kain. Heidern had saved Southtown before. He thought that Kain will destroy everything and all the previous efforts of his will go to waste. Besides, it was his duty to protect his country.

"He made us an offer." Adelheid answered.

Heidern's curiosity rose when Adel said that. What could he have offered to the Bernstein siblings? And was there even something that would get Bernstein siblings' interest? They were filthy rich. They could get anything they wanted.

"Go on." Heidern said.

"He said if we align with him, he will tell us about Botan's whereabouts. No, he said he will bring her to us." Adelheid replied. Heidern could hear that he was worried. After all, Adelheid had made the decision to tell Heidern about the situation in a hurry. He didn't inform Chizuru Kagura about his decision.

But Heidern was shocked. Even his men couldn't catch her. How was Kain R. Heinlein able to track her down?

"Adel, I would like you to-" Heidern was interrupted when he received a message from one of his men that Kain R. Heinlein was on the news. He was addressing to the people of Second Southtown. Heidern hung up the phone and went to watch what Kain had to say to the people.

* * *

"People of Second Southtown! Today I have gathered you all here for a reason." He said in a serious tone. He wasn't like a politician who would raise slogans every now and then. He was speaking in a calm manner.

"Until now, you have all suffered greatly from the lack of justice in Second Southtown, to the point that you lost hope of living a peaceful life. Many of the people lived in fear. Many of you resorted to crime just in order to survive. You people were not even safe in your own houses. Until now, only the strong have survived. And let me tell you this. It's a universal law that the strong will always survive no matter which they are on. And I say that all of you who are standing here in front of me are strong indeed. You have survived until now." Kain said and the crowd began to cheer.

"Up until now," Kain continued, "the streets were never safe. The crime lords would make example out of good and innocent people just so they could instill fear in your hearts. There were always gunshots and screams of people fighting with each other. And now, none of that happens. The crime lords who were once fearful are now hanged to death. And they deserve it for destroying the life of many people. We have changed this place in one month. Second Southtown is peaceful now. And it's all because you changed yourself. You are not the barbarians as other people think of you to be. You are proud citizens of Second Southtown." Cheers of the huge crowd roared again, this time more than before.

"But what I wanted to discuss is not our current state." Kain said and the crowd went quite again. "I wanted to talk about our previous state. Right now, Second Southtown is a part of United States but despite being a part of the US, the government never really payed any attention to the state of this city. They didn't take any action against the crime lords who were in power before and were ruling over you. They did nothing against those tyrants. They let you, the innocent and good people of Second Southtown, suffer. The pain that you people went through is unimaginable. Your lives were difficult. You lived in fear. You could get a degree but you couldn't get a job due to the corruption in this city. People would get sick but couldn't get medicines because the drugs were easier to get. People would be admitted in hospitals but their treatment was difficult due to the lack of facilities. People would report a crime but the police officers would just write it down on a paper and tell them to go. This was the corruption in Second Southtown." The intensity in Kain's voice increased and people felt their hearts racing. The adrenaline was pumping in them.

"Let me ask you a question, do you think that the government who never looked at your state in the past? Who didn't help you in your time of need? Is that the government you want?!" Kain said, his voice getting more intense than before.

"NOOOO!" The people screamed in answer.

"You are strong people who have survived the worst. You made it here on your own. Do you need the government's help?" Kain asked again.

"NOOOO!" The people roared again.

"Fine then," Kain said and took a deep breath, "From today, Second Southtown will no longer be a part of the United States." Kain said with seriousness.

The people were silent. They were taken by surprise. Kain's decision had surprised them.

"Are you surprised?!" Kain asked. "I'll have you all know that during this one month, the government did not provide any funds for the city's progress. And not to mention, this is only the beginning of this city's progress. But your taxes, they go to the government. You are paying them for nothing." Kain said.

The adrenaline was beginning to pump again in the people. They were feeling energetic. And then suddenly, they all began to cheer. Kain had won the people of Second Southtown over with a single speech. The people were cheering in delight.

"Second Southtown declares the independence from the United States of America. The government didn't help you when you needed it the most but now you do not need them and you have proven it by changing everything in one month!" Kain said and the crowd cheered.

"The matters of Second Southtown will no longer be of the US government's concern. Not that they paid any attention to Second Southtown before. As of today, Second Southtown will be an independent city-state. They may say that America is the land of the free. But Second Southtown is the land of the strong." Kain said it with such energy that the crowd went crazy with cheers. People started raising slogans, "LAND OF THE STRONG!" or "LONG LIVE KAIN R. HEINLEIN!"

"Alright, that's enough." Kain said signalling them to calm down, "In order to prevent the past catastrophes, every person in Second Southtown must learn to defend themselves. So if Second Southtown faces a threat as it has in the past, it should be able to fight back. Back in the day, many of you were not able to fight back. But you must prepare yourself for any dangers in the future. We do not know what the future holds but we must prepare ourselves for the worst." Kain said to the huge crowd of people in front of him.

"We will mend our own lives. We are strong and capable enough to take care of ourselves. LONG LIVE SECOND SOUTHTOWN AND LONG LIVE THE PEOPLE OF SECOND SOUTHTOWN!" Kain raised the slogan and left the stage as the crowd cheered on. People also started raising slogans with the main one being "FUCK TRUMP!"

* * *

He had done it. Kain was on a mission to put life back into these people, to make them strong. And he had come one step closer to his goal.

Kain R. Heinlein returned to his office. When he entered his office, he saw a man standing in front of the glass window, looking down at the streets of Second Southtown. The sun was about to go down. It was hard to see.

The figure was wearing a blue jacket with blue jeans and brown shoes. He was also wearing a bandana on his head.

"Nice speech you gave there." The man spoke up.

"What brings you here, Billy?" Kain asked walking towards his desk.

"Well, I thought to give you a heads up." Billy said, still not moving from his place.

"About?" Kain asked as he sat on his chair.

"Are you familiar with the name 'Duke'?" Billy asked looking back to see Kain sitting on the chair. Only his head was visible to him.

"No." Kain gave short reply.

"Well, he's a Russian crime lord and leader of a gang named Mephistopheles. He used to rule over Southtown like, way back in the day. Geese defeated him and drove him out of the country. That's how Geese came in power." Billy paused for a moment as the memories of his _boss_ flashed in front of his eyes. "Lately, there has been news that Duke may come back to Second Southtown." Billy said as he looked down from the window again.

"So, he's coming back to reign over Second Southtown again." Kain guessed.

"Well, that and also for vengeance. He might come after Rock. I mean, even he doesn't like the name 'Howard'." Billy said, chuckling a little bit.

"Oh," Kain was a bit amused, "is there anything else I should watch out for?" Kain asked.

"Well, Duke also killed someone to come in power and rule Southtown. The person who Duke killed was known as Fate." Billy paused and took a deep breath. "It seems that the man had adopted two runaways from an orphanage back in Germany. Their names are Alba and Soiree Meira. They're out for blood. They want to avenge their father. You know just like the Bogard brothers." Billy casually said.

"Thank you for the information. I appreciate it." Kain said. Making Billy his ally proved to be a great decision. Kain learned a lot about Southtown and the underworld. He also met Hein through Billy. Kain was the one who convinced Billy about Hein and Lilly's marriage. Kain arranged their marriage. And Billy was surprised to see how happy Lilly was when he agreed to Hein's and her wedding. But still, Kain was a mafia boss. He did not meet with them a lot for it could cause a lot of trouble for them.

* * *

"This is a sin." Rock was standing in front of Chizuru with his arms crossed. His back was facing her.

"Listen, this is not a serious issue." Chizuru tried to calm him down.

"Really, from what I see, that's really serious." Rock said. "How is that not serious?" He asked incredulous.

"I used it in the past. I haven't touched it in years." Chizuru said, lowering her eyes.

"How can you leave such a beautiful vintage motorcycle unattended?" Rock said, pointing towards an old, rusty, and un-tuned motorcycle that was parked in the corner Chizuru's spacious garage.

Chizuru was actually surprised that Rock spotted her old motorcycle in its miserable state. Rock simply rolled up his sleeves, walked towards his motorcycle and got a tool box from it. He went to her motorcycle and sat down beside it to take a closer look at it. Chizuru could almost see her sister in Rock's place right now. She used to tune Chizuru's bike. It was her hobby. Chizuru had not used that motorcycle after her sister's death. A light smile formed on her lips as she saw Rock working on her motorcycle. She remembered her happy and fun days she had in the past. After her sister's death, Chizuru became really serious about her duty as the keeper of Orochi's seal. She was always caught up in business matters. She had never really been _happy_. She had money and fame. But she lacked friends and happiness in her life. But most of all, she lacked a family. She did not have people in her life with who she could share her happiness and sorrows. _It is lonely at the top._

* * *

Back in Second Southtown, Kain's declaration of Second Southtown's independence had instantly become a huge topic. There was a minority of people who were against this decision but the majority of people supported it. It was a universal fact that everyone hated the US Government (FUCK TRUMP). Kain had made a really strong point by saying that the government had abandoned them. Sadly, it was true. Because of the Government's ignorance, people like Mr. Big, Geese and Krauser were able to rule over Second Southtown and hold the city in their iron grip. People of Second Southtown would be given a cold shoulder and their pleas would fall on deaf ears. Now, people were really happy for independence. People were making preparations for the 'Independence Day'. The shops were full of people, and the restaurants were full of people as well.

People were a lot friendlier to each other now. Back in the day, people used to be afraid to talk to each other for they feared that the other person could be a gang member or a wanted criminal who could hurt them or frame them. Fear was a common thing back then but now it was almost nonexistent.

Since Kain had declared Second Southtown as the "Land of the Strong", people admitted themselves in Kyokugenryu Dojo to learn how to fight. As much as King loved that Second Southtown was peaceful, she did not like the fact that Ryo was now going to be even busier because the number of students had increased by hundreds.

It was nighttime, King was at the bar again. The bar was full of people. King actually loved this sight. Instead of seeing the usual old and desperate alcoholics, she saw happy faces. People were talking to each other. Some wealthy fellow had decided to buy everyone drinks. Even King herself had given everyone a drink on the house. It was a nice atmosphere. A band was playing some calm music in the bar. King loved this bar of hers. Nice atmosphere, good music and most of all good customers. She was happy that her brother, Jan had just graduated from college in New York. He had just come back in time for independence. And he would easily be able to get a job. She was no longer worried about him. He could walk and he was old enough to take care of himself. She couldn't help but feel proud of herself. How far had she come in her life? She had a rough childhood but now it had all paid off. She was having the best time in her life. The only thing she wanted now was to get married with Ryo and settle down.

* * *

Kain went back to his apartment after dealing with all the work in his office. He entered his apartment only to see Botan sitting on the couch, alerted. She seemed to be watching TV. It seemed that she had heard Kain enter inside had he had alerted her.

"It's OK." Kain just smiled lightly as he proceeded to put his briefcase down on the other couch. Botan also relaxed and began to watch the TV again.

Kain went in the bedroom and opened the closet. He was a little surprised when he saw Botan's clothes on one side and his on the other.

"Miss Botan, what is this about?" He asked, in a loud voice so she could hear him.

Botan looked in his direction. "You said yourself that I'll have to stay here until people who are watching you show themselves." Botan said. She had used his words against himself.

Kain could only smile. Guess they will have to share stuff now. They were already sharing a roof. Kain took out his clothes and went in the bathroom to take a shower. After, he came out of the bathroom, dressed in a casual T-shirt and sweatpants. He went to the kitchen to cook for himself. Botan was still in the living room.

"No sharing in food?" Kain asked, jokingly. Botan's face turned red from embarrassment.

"Don't worry about it." He said to assure her. Kain could tell from looking at the dishes. They had been washed. Botan had cooked for herself. She was smart enough not to order anything from outside.

She was still hesitant around him. "Nice speech you gave there today." She finally spoke up.

Kain raised his eyebrow. "Thanks." He replied. "You see, this is to lure those spies out." He said.

Botan looked at Kain, a little surprised. "What?" She asked.

Kain was amused by her sudden curiosity. "Now legally, the matters of Second Southtown are no longer of US Government's concerns. That also includes the people of course." Kain said.

"What does that mean?" Botan asked.

"Miss Botan, do you have a nationality?" Kain asked.

"No, I don't have a nationality." Botan replied.

"Good, then you'll be given a new ID card and a new nationality tomorrow. If you become a citizen of Second Southtown, you'll be safe from Kagura Enterprises, Bernstein Industries and Heidern." Kain explained.

That was more than enough to make Botan happy. She didn't show it but Kain could tell that she was happy.

"You mean I'll be safe here?" She asked. She could not believe it.

"Yes, Miss Botan. But that is only if you want to become a citizen of Second Southtown. There is no pressure." Kain calmly replied.

She was going to be untouchable and would be able to live a nice life if she stayed in Second Southtown. "Hell yes, I want to become a citizen of Second Southtown." She excitedly replied. The leader of Second Southtown had assured her safety to her.

"But you'll still have to stay here until those spies show up. They're pretty good at picking people from the streets." Kain said with a smile.

Botan only pouted. She hated being locked up in the apartment all day. But she knew that she had to be patient for it will pay off in the future.

* * *

 _ **Anyways, that was it guys. Hope you enjoyed. Sorry for taking so long. Didn't want to rush it. Let me know what you think by reviewing. Cause that would be very helpful. And stay tuned for the next chapter. BYE!**_


	5. Decisions

_**Hi guys! Welcome back to the story. I'd like to thank you guys for reading my trash until now and I hope you will keep doing so cause we don't have anything else to do. But seriously though, I would really like to thank you for reading my stuff. Even if you do not review, it's ok. At least I know you're there. I was really happy when the views of the story were only 69. And then they went up. Anyways, I doubt that you have even read this far and would have probably skipped this part and continued reading the story below. Anyways, I hope you enjoy. Feel free to pitch your ideas. I'm all ears.**_

* * *

 **Chapter 5: Decisions**

Terry Bogard was sitting in his new apartment. He had vacated the one he shared with his adoptive son, Rock Howard. Mary would visit him frequently just so she could give him some company. She would discuss some cases with him and ask for his thoughts on the case. She was trying to keep him as busy as possible. Just for one reason, she did not want him to become "The Lone Wolf" he once was. That alias was nothing to be proud about and it was just sad for him to be alone. Luckily for Terry, Mary was still there for him and there were also other friends. He would occasionally play basketball with kids or just give tips to a young fighter in Second Southtown. Kim had suggested that Terry should also open a dojo but Terry's fighting style was too complicated. It was a mixture of all the fighting styles out there, from karate to martial arts and from judo to taekwondo and from brawling to street fighting. He could only teach it all to one person, Rock Howard. It was because Rock had the potential that no other had and because Rock was a natural prodigy. Although, Rock ended up inheriting some moves from his biological father.

Terry was lying down on the couch and watching television. There was a carton of milk on the table in front of him. He had already drunk half of it. He was watching news on T.V. Some people were talking about the independence of Second Southtown and how it will affect it in the present and the future. Terry loved Second Southtown but Kain had been right. These people were not alive. Kain had come and woken them up from their slumber by making them fend for themselves. Even Terry was shocked when he heard the news of independence. And he was even more surprised when he saw how people had become livelier after that. How long had these people been in their slumber? But Terry was happy for them. The people he once fought for now wanted to become strong as individuals as well as a state.

* * *

"This is getting harder day by day." Ryo Sakazaki was sitting in King's bar which was closed at the moment. It was daytime after all. Ryo did not have to teach so he came to have a chat with his girlfriend.

"We've never had this many students before ." Ryo said to his girlfriend who was sitting across the table.

"Well, isn't it a good thing?" King said. "When I heard that Kyokugenryu dojo had blown up, I thought that you would be really happy about it. Not to mention that every person who is coming to your dojo now is a dedicated person. They're not someone who is just there to pass their time. Teaching them won't be so hard." She said, trying to assure her boyfriend.

"Well, you're right. But even dad has to teach full time now. And you know how it is with him. He's happy that we have more students than ever." Ryo said and took a deep breath. "But he's getting old you see. He's no longer the Master. He's passed that title down to me. You know, sometimes I wish that he and I would have taught Yuri the proper Kyokugenryu so she could at least help us today." Ryo finally finished. He didn't like the fact that his old father had to work even now. He had worked his entire life. Ryo wanted his father to sit back, relax and spend his life peacefully. But still, he was lucky to have Marco at his side. Even though Marco had a family of his own, he still dedicated his life to Kyokugenryu Dojo. Ryo didn't have enough words to explain how grateful he was for that. He probably won't be able to repay him even if he wanted to.

"I heard that the Todohs are also doing great. Their dojo is also packed." King said, trying to push the conversation with her boyfriend.

"Good for them." Ryo said, leaning back in his chair.

If Ryo had said that quite a few years back then King would have been shocked. But she was glad that Ryo had matured.

"I wonder how old man Ryuhaku is handling things on his side." Ryo wondered.

Years ago, Ryo had defeated Ryuhaku with ease and Ryuhaku left his dojo to train. But he left his wife and two daughters behind as well. His younger daughter had been taught by her father how to fight. She knew that her father left his family because of Ryo. So in order to regain the honour of her family, she decided to defeat Ryo just so her father would come back. But it took her years. She was 16 years old when her father left and she defeated Ryo five years later when she was 21. Ryo was 29 at the moment but he lost on purpose. He found out why she was fighting him. He finally found out why did she hate him so much. Why did she keep challenging him over and over again? It was Terry who told him to swallow his pride and lose on purpose. He told him that it was going to be worth it. And Ryo could relate to Kasumi because at one time in his life when he was a young boy, his father had left him and Yuri as well. He knew how painful it was to know that your father is alive but he's not there for you. Ryo would have lost to her in the first place if he knew about her situation, although that was debatable. Ryo was pretty dense back in the day.

"How are things going on your end?" Ryo asked.

"They're going great. No need to deal with raging alcoholics anymore. People do not drink to get away from life anymore. A few drinks and they're on their way back home. It doesn't even feel like that I'm dealing with the people of Southtown. There used to be fights in the bar and I had to kick the customers out. Now, things are going quite smoothly. It's not a bad change if I say so myself." King replied with a smile.

The couple was in the middle of their conversation when the door knocked. "Who can be here at this time of the day?" King said, looking towards the front door of the bar.

"I'll see who it is." Ryo said as he stood up from his chair. Ryo went and opened the door. He was surprised when he saw the person standing outside.

"Y-you?!" Ryo was shocked.

"It's been a while, Sakazaki." The person said while smiling.

"Ryo, who is it?" King had gotten worried after hearing her boyfriend. She was also shocked when she saw the person standing outside.

"Billy Cane?!" She said.

"What a warm welcome I'm receiving!" Billy said, with a little bit of mockery in his tone.

"What do you need?" Ryo recovered from his shocked state and adopted a serious composure. Billy was the right-hand man of Geese after all. He wasn't on their list of good people. He was their enemy in the past.

"Hey now, calm down," Billy said raising his hands in the air, "I'm only here for a chat." He said, trying to calm the couple down. He knew it would be hard.

"Fine, spit it." Ryo rudely said.

Billy was not affected by the rude behavior of Ryo Sakazaki. If he was treating him this way, then the things were normal until now. It would have been weird if Ryo would have greeted Billy with a smile.

"Let's go inside. I don't think it's appropriate to talk just standing outside. Why don't we all sit down and talk?" Billy calmly said.

Ryo was actually surprised by Billy's behavior. Billy used be the person who would start trash talking to a dog if it even barked at him. Ryo was being straight up rude yet he was still composed. But one thing was for sure, there was something important that he wanted to discuss. A former mafia member would not drop by his former enemies to just say hello.

"Fine," Ryo said as he let out a sigh, "come in." He finally said.

The three of them sat at a table. "So," Ryo began, "what did you want to talk about?" He asked as he crossed his arms.

"I had some news to share with you." Billy replied.

"What kind of news?" King raised her eyebrows.

"Well, it seems like that a mafia boss is coming back to Second Southtown." Billy broke the news to them.

Ryo and King were both in shock. A mafia boss? And what did he mean by coming back? A train of thoughts ran through their minds.

"Who is he and what gang?" Ryo immediately demanded information.

"You probably don't even know him because you did not even know about the mafia before kidnapped your sister." Billy said. "But anyways, his name's Duke, leader of Mephistopheles." He finished.

"There are only two people in Second Southtown who may remember him." Billy continued. "Your old man Takuma and Ryuhaku Todoh. Ask them for more details, that's all." Billy said as he stood up.

"I'll be going now." He said and left, leaving the couple to worry about the news he broke to them.

"Great, and just when things are going great, another criminal decides to appear." King was pissed. Couldn't they have any peace? They had fought all their lives until now.

* * *

"So, how are things going, Takuma?" Ryuhaku asked his former enemy or more like a rival. Both of the elder men were sitting in the Sakazaki Dojo. The building had Japanese architecture. Wooden floor and pillars and they were colored red as well. It was a beautiful place. Both men had bitterness towards each other in the past but now they had decided to be at peace with each other instead of fighting over which one of them has the better fighting style.

"Things are going busy." Takuma said as he took a sip of his tea. "A lot has changed, don't you think?" Takuma said, trying to build up a conversation.

"Yes, a lot has changed." Ryuhaku replied. "We have more students now. People are friendlier and honest than before." Ryuhaku replied.

"Do you remember when the city used to swarm with snakes like Mr. Big and Geese?" Takuma said, remembering the old corrupted Southtown.

"I tend not to think about those times." Ruyhaku calmly replied. "It makes me furious." He said as he sipped on his tea.

"So, what are your thoughts on the independence?" Ryuhaku asked as he rested the cup down on the table.

Takuma took a deep sigh before answering that question. Ryuhaku could feel that the answer was going to be a big one. "Well now, our 'leader' Kain sure made a lot of points in his speech." Takuma was being sarcastic by calling Kain as their leader. "I agree with him though. If he had not made this decision then God knows how many people could have been deported from Second Southtown. You see, Second Southtown is a place of mixed cultures. There are Japanese people here like us, there are Koreans, there are Brazilians, there are Germans, there are Chinese, there are French and there are Mexicans. Having all these non-Americans cooped up here would be the only reason for Trump to take a look at Second Southtown. These people have spent a most of their lives fighting crime and now that the crime is finally gone, they would get deported when the peace is spreading. Now, that would be really bad. All their patience was for nothing. A lot of them came here because of the opportunities that are present here. And now they are finally getting their opportunities. I mean, look at us. We used to have these same dojos but very less students. This dojo felt very empty to me back in the day because there were not many students but now this same dojo feels very short when I'm teaching. We were patient and now we are getting the reward for it. Patient bears fruit that is true indeed. We have just witnessed it. I hate to admit it but Kain has saved, no, he has secured a lot of lives by declaring independence." Takuma finally finished.

"How are your kids doing?" Ryuhaku asked.

"They are doing as well as they can be. Ryo has succeeded me. And Yuri is currently doing architecture. Well, I am fine as long as she stays away from fighting." Takuma replied. There were some things of the past that he still could not let go of. But he was a father after all. How can a father not want his children to be safe?

"Well lately, some kids have quit. They came here dedicated. I guess their dedication only lasted for a week. But I'm afraid that their action may not have a positive on other new students." Takuma said, although he was calm when he said it. But Ryuhaku knew Takuma very well. Takuma was not a person to stay calm. He was worried but he wasn't showing it.

"Maybe they quit because you were going too hard on them." Ryuhaku said but was he was given a threatening look by Takuma. "What I mean to say is, you think of them to be born fighters." Ryuhaku said. His voice didn't falter before the threatening looks of Takuma Sakazaki.

"How else do you think they can become strong? There are no shortcuts in Kyokugenryu Karate. Only those who work hard can become masters." Takuma strictly replied.

"This is what I'm talking about. Out of everyone, you're the only one who has not changed one bit after all these years." Ryuhaku looked down in disappointment.

"What do you mean?" Takuma annoyingly raised his eyebrow.

"What I mean to say is, people come to you just so they can learn to defend themselves. They come to you for the basics but you aim to turn them into fighters. Have you forgotten that this city is no longer the same? It's not the same as it was back in our day. You can't just expect everyone to give their all to Kyokugenryu Karate. People have jobs now. They have to work to earn. People no longer have to earn through winning street fights. This is not the past. Same old methods will not work. I have changed my pattern of teaching and I have not lost a single student yet. Time management and not overdoing it is the key. If you can achieve both of them, things may go smoothly for you, Takuma." Ryuhaku himself never believed that there would be a day when he would have to lecture Takuma Sakazaki. But here it was. Ryuhaku unlike Takuma had adapted to the new changes of Second Southtown right away. So, he was superior to him in a way. And his style was also based on defensive techniques, so it was not hard for a lot of people to choose Ryuhaku's dojo over Sakazaki's dojo.

Takuma let out a sigh. "Maybe, I should give the students a day off for today and discuss the time table with Ryo." Takuma thought out loud.

"Anyways, how are you holding up? I heard your wife and daughters are in Japan. Who's helping you out with teaching? I'm pretty sure that even you can't do it all by yourself?" Takuma said. He was a little bit curious as well.

Ryuhaku took a deep breath before replying. "When Ryo defeated me, I left and settled in Japan. There I opened a dojo and the first student there was a natural. He was pretty young. I got some more students and well they all mastered the fighting style. And since my style does not focus on utilizing chi, it is easy to learn. Anyone can learn it. My technique is about self-defense or survival, whatever you want to call it. Anyways, that boy is now the husband of my elder daughter and as my son-in-law; he is helping me out in Second Southtown. And the senior students here are already good enough to teach the younger students. So, we're all helping each other out." Ryuhaku replied. He was actually blessed.

"If your son-in-law mastered your style, then how come that we never got to see him in a fighting tournament?" Takuma raised his eyebrow. He was a little bit confused.

"I have already told you, Takuma. I teach people how to defend themselves and those close to them. I do not teach so they can go in street fights and tournaments just to win a few dollars." Ryuhaku replied. He had his ideals in check. He was a man of principle. His mentality went well with the new Second Southtown.

"My daughter will be coming here with her husband today from Japan. I received some good news today." Ryuhaku said.

"What?" Takuma asked.

"Apparently, I'm about to become a grandfather." Ryuhaku replied. "I came here to tell you that. I want to invite you and your family to have dinner at my house tomorrow." Ryuhaku heartily said.

Takuma was silent for a moment. "S-sure. We'll come." He replied after a few moments of silence.

After Ryuhaku left, Takuma was in deep thought. Thinking about how Ryuhaku had surpassed him in every way possible. But he did not feel bad. He had heard a lot that Ryuhakyu had improved his style of fighting. But the thing that he was envious of was that Ryuhaku had more graduates than him. Ryuhaku had several students who he taught in Japan and now all of them were helping him teach while Takuma could only teach two people in his entire life, his own son and his friend's son. But he was proud of Ryo who was able to teach Marco in a very short time. But still Marco was a prodigy and a hard worker. Marco had moved to Second Southtown with his family so he can help Ryo. Takuma did feel a little dumb now that he thought about the fact that people who came to them for self-defense classes were being forcefully taught Kyokugenryu Karate. It was like that back in the day as well. People would come to learn but would leave after one day's training. Takuma was very strict. He would hand them out a bundle of things to do just in a day. He treated them like they were like him.

But most of all, Ryuhaku was going to have a grandchild now. And his son-in-law had mastered his style. So, he already had an heir. And his heir was going to have an heir. It was true though, grandchildren are the ones who soften grandparents. They're the ones who bring out their true parenthood again. A parent becomes kind of lost after their children grow up and begin to live their own lives. And for Takuma, not even his wife was alive. He had no one who could keep him company. He could not really tell someone how he felt. Maybe it was because he was not happy. His life was in a simple cycle. He had kept fighting almost all his life and now he had to settle down with no adversary. Kyokugenryu Karate, he made it. He had even the chance to use its full potential. He had somewhat of a wish to have something or someone to distract him from fighting. Give him a new purpose or something. He could not have a conversation with Yuri because she was mostly busy in her work and she was helping the city more than him and Ryo were while they taught people to defend themselves. She was in process of designing schools, and amusement park etc. But despite her busy schedule, she still would talk to him about the matters of the dojo. She would hang out with King whenever she had time. And she would tell Ryo to marry King and bring her home already. And Takuma supported that. Even he was feeling that the house had become lonely. Maybe a daughter-in-law and a grandchild might be a good addition to the family. And Yuri was not going to stay with them forever because she would also get married one day and live a life of her own.

And just then when he was sitting in the living room of their house, thinking all this. Ryo barged in. He looked like he had just seen a ghost.

Takuma looked at his son was a little surprised. "Is everything ok, son?" Takuma asked.

Ryo was breathing heavily. It seemed like he ran all the way home from the bar. Where else could he have been?

"This is terrible." Ryo said.

"What is?" Takuma asked.

"Billy told us..." Ryo stopped to breath.

"Billy? As in Billy Cane?" Takuma was surprised to hear about him.

"Yes. He told us that Duke was coming back." Ryo finally replied.

At first Takuma was shocked but then he regained his composure.

"We must prepare to fight him." Ryo was fired up.

"No, it is not our place to fight him." Takuma replied. And for the first time in his life, Ryo had heard his father said something like that. Whenever evil rose in Southtown, Takuma was always prepared to fight it.

"What are you saying?" Ryo asked incredulously.

"Like I said, we do not need to fight him. It is the duty of law to deal with that." Takuma replied. He was sitting on the sofa with his arms crossed.

"But father, we have the power to fight evil and what good is that power if we don't use it?" Ryo said as he clenched his fist, trying to light the fire in his father's heart.

"Have you forgotten that this city is not the same as before?" Takuma strictly said. And Ryo was taken aback from his father's words. He was right. "This is not same city where you could barge in an evil doer's door and beat him senseless and call it justice. This city has changed. And it is being run under law and order. As much as I hate to admit it, this city has been the most peaceful under Kain. But we will only fight back if we are attacked. You think Duke will announce that he is coming to take over the city? Of course not. He can send you to jail for attacking him without a reason. Sure, he is a crime lord but do you have any reason to beat him up and turn him in." Takuma strictly said.

As much as Ryo hated to admit it, his father was right.

"Calm down, son. Everything will be ok. If the law could arrest multiple crime lords red-handed them I'm sure that they will be able to take Duke down for good as well." Takuma had cooled down a bit now. "All we can do is to teach people how to defend themselves. We do not need to teach them to go for other's throat." Takuma wisely said.

"Sit down, son. There is something I want to discuss with you." Takuma softly said to his son.

And then the two began to discuss their training methods and decided to start everything from the scratch.

* * *

 _ **And that will be it for this chapter. This chapter was basically about how you need to be able to control yourself. Moral of this chapter is to control your desire to fight if you're good enough. You know, be patient if you have the skill. No need to show it off. But that also does not mean that you should not stand up against evil. Anyway guys, hope you enjoyed this chapter as well. And tune in next time for Heidern meeting Kain.**_


	6. The Master Plan

_**Author's Note: Sorry for the long break. I had completely lost the inspiration to write more because of the lack of feedback and audience. But after a long time, I see that there is an entire community of KOF fans, which is great. Now, I'm back. And as usual, hope you enjoy this.**_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 6: The Master Plan.**_

Kain's decision to declare independence came as a surprise to, not only United States of America but other countries as well. This really was something new. And honestly, it was something that should've been decided by the people a long time ago. But then again, they were too busy living in fear. Their only concern used to be survival. An unsafe neighborhood can really change a person's mind. It enhances their senses but narrows their thinking. People were too busy surviving hence they never had the time to think about change. But it was all in the past, what they had to think about now was present and the future. No one can gain anything from pondering over something that happened in the past and it didn't matter now. They were finally in the light and they intended to make the best of it. The people of Second Southtown had survival instinct and Kain knew that all too well, that's why he had decided to separate them from the US. He knew that they were different, he knew that they could not just adapt to the normal life and most of all, these people were strong. Kain did not want them to lose their strength by having them mix themselves with the average Joes of other states. These people had lived in a violent environment for too long that normal life might seem unusual to them.

It was night time; Kain was still in his office, looking down at the city from the glass wall. _'Still not a move from Heidern, huh?'_ Kain thought to himself. He originally intended to declare independence when Second Southtown would be fully developed but after he realized that some strong and corrupt politicians were looking to come to Second Southtown for control and run their illegal operations here because Second Southtown was considered the 'Home of Criminals', Kain decided that it would be best to nip the evil in the bud and prevent this from happening, he didn't need the Government's help anyway. Furthermore, Kain had eyes and ears everywhere; it had come to his attention that Heidern had been inspecting Kain's actions from a distance ever since Adel informed Heidern about Kain's offer to him and Chizuru. In simple words, Kain was being spied on. And he did not like that one bit; it was a thorn in his side. He also made this move because he wanted to lure the spy out.

Kain went to his desk and put the receiver of the phone to his ear. "Rock, I want you back in Second Southtown as soon as possible." He ordered his nephew and put the receiver down. Kain knew that he would encounter Heidern sooner or later but he wanted Rock to stay close to him, he did not want his nephew getting in any sort of trouble overseas, it would not be good for the image of Second Southtown at all. A few moments later, he decided to make another phone call. He picked up the receiver again and held it up to his ear; he dialed a number and waited for a few seconds. "Arrive as soon as possible. Yes, tomorrow would be good." After that, Kain left the building. He sat down in a car and ordered the driver to go to _The Illusion._

* * *

 _In The Illusion,_ King and Ryo were joined by Yuri this time. Yuri had been working really hard.

"It's more difficult than I expected it to be." She said; she looked really exhausted.

"Yuri, why don't you take a break? You have been working all weekend." King said; she was worried about her friend.

But despite her good intentions, King was met with an intense glare from Yuri.

"What do you mean 'take a break'? Listen, I can't afford to take a break. I finally got something big, this is probably the biggest project I'm ever gonna get. I can't afford to mess this up." Yuri surprised Ryo with her statement, when had his younger sister matured so much.

Before this conversation could go any further, someone walked into the bar. A woman with blue hair which was tied into a pony tail had entered the bar.

"Well, if it isn't the one and only Kasumi Todoh." King said with a smile as she saw her old teammate.

"Yes, it's been a while." Kasumi returned the smile.

"Long time no see, Kasumi!" Yuri threw herself on the blue haired woman for a hug which she returned.

"It's been a while, Ryo-sensei!" Kasumi greeted Ryo with a bow. Ryo just nodded in return, but respect he had for her was a lot. Ever since he had heard about her story from Terry, he really admired her determination. She always lost to him but she never gave up. She kept challenging him over and over.

"So, how is your project coming along?" Kasumi said as she took a seat next to Yuri.

"Don't ask." Yuri said with a pout.

"What?" Kasumi was amazed. "I thought you excelled at 'fun'." King and Ryo smiled at that remark. It was true. Yuri was a happy go lucky girl. Or at least she used to be, when she was younger.

"Well, my job is not fun, even though I have to design an amusement park. It's really difficult to manage it. I have to consider a lot of things. I'm given a limited space; I can only put a limited number of things in there. Plus, I also have to not go over the given budget. I'm trying to make it as good as possible without going over the top. Kain has declared independence, so I'm trying to save money. I don't want Second Southtown to drown in debt." Yuri said with her arms crossed.

Kasumi, King and Ryo were amazed at her intelligence. She had really changed. She had matured.

And their gazes did not go unnoticed. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, you've really matured." Kasumi said with a smile.

"Alright ladies, I'm gonna leave now. I have to get my rest." Ryo said as he got up.

"Bye!" All three women said as he left.

"So, Kasumi, what brought you here? I know for a fact that you don't drink." King asked as she turned her attention to King.

"Well, I just wanted to have a chat with you guys. Plus, I have good news." Kasumi said.

"What's the news?" Yuri asked.

"My elder sister is going to have a baby." Kasumi happily announced.

King and Yuri just squealed in happiness and excitement. Both of them gave her a hug.

"OH MY GOD!" Yuri squealed.

"You're going to become an aunt." King said.

The women were excited and happy. They chatted for almost half an hour.

"… and now finally Ryo has a lighter schedule because he decided to take it easy on the students." King finished.

"That's good to hear. Not everyone can be a fighter, besides; people have other things to do now. Fighting isn't that necessary anymore." Kasumi said.

"He grew up when Southtown was at its worst. So, it's gonna take him some time to get used to this." Yuri said. She wasn't wrong. Ryo had seen a lot of terrible things and he had fought a lot of terrible people. He had become used to face evil over and over again. They were still chatting when a car pulled up in front of the bar. A man with a classy black tuxedo came out of the car. It was the 'savior' of Second Southtown , Kain R. Heinlein. He was a man of class, he was elegant. He had a way of his own to do things that would leave the people in awe.

The three women were a bit surprised to see him there but they got vigilant. His good deeds aside, but his reputation on the streets was something else. He was considered very dangerous. Kain entered the bar and to the surprise of the women, there was no protocol. He had no security with him.

"Today was another fine day, wasn't it?" He said as he took the seat next to Kasumi. "Can I get a glass of water, Miss King?" He said.

"How's the project coming along, Miss Sakazaki?" Kain turned his attention to Yuri.

"It's…. fine." She replied. It was the first time he had asked her about it.

"Good." He said to her. Yuri didn't know why but she felt relieved when she heard him say that.

"Here's your water." King said to Kain. "You don't drink?" She asked.

"Well, it wouldn't be fitting if I were to be found drinking, especially these days." He replied. "I'm working day and night for Second Southtown and I expect the people to do the same."

For some reason, the women did not find Kain an evil person they thought they would. He didn't turn out to be what they had heard about him from some people.

"Miss Sakazaki, as you know, the dawn of independence is upon us. And before we are officially independent, I want you to finish that amusement park project." Kain said. But to Yuri, it felt like an order.

Yuri did get a little surprise upon hearing that. "W-well then, how long do I have?" She asked.

"One month, maybe even less." He replied.

"One month?" Yuri said with shock.

"Don't worry; I've already made reservations for you to get things done quicker. A very talented architect from China has been hired to come to Second Southtown for some projects; I'll have him lend you a hand." Kain said, as he proceeded to sip on his glass of water.

"Wait," Yuri paused. "Who is it?" She asked.

"He's a young and an extremely talented architect. He is migrating to Second Southtown because I hired him for a few projects." Kain said. "I think you all must be familiar or at least must have heard of him. His name is Sei Kensou."

The women were shocked to hear the name. Kensou was an architect and most of all; he was coming to Second Southtown.

"Kensou became an architect?" King said. She did not believe it.

"I always thought he'd spend the rest of his life as an Athena fanboy who would follow her around everywhere she went." Kasumi said.

"It's good to hear that he got a job. I'm happy for him." Yuri said. "But what did you mean by him lending me a hand?" She turned her attention to Kain.

"Your project is something I want done as soon as possible. And since you have not been able to get it done yet, I figured it would be good if you were to get some help. Besides, you cannot just exhaust yourself on designing alone, you would also have to supervise the construction. And I'd like to make an addition to your project. You two will also be working on another project. I want you two to build a building for a TV station in Second Southtown. " Kain meant business.

"Well, it's nice to know that I'll be getting some help." Yuri said. She wasn't mad at the fact that someone else was going to be associated in _her_ project. In fact, she was happy that it was going to be a familiar face.

"But why didn't you just call her? Wouldn't it have been more convenient?" King asked. Kain could've easily told Yuri about this stuff over the phone but instead he came to King's bar.

"Time, Miss King. It's very important. I came here to not just inform Miss Sakazaki but to also discuss somethings with you. And since you all were here, I thought it would save me some time to get the business done in the same place. Besides, I had to talk to you in person here because it's not something we can discuss over the phone." Kain said with a slight smile.

"What is it?" King got more serious now. Kain had a rep of a fearsome mafia boss in the streets. And in King's experience, every time a mafia boss or a kingpin would come to her, they would ask her to sell their drugs. And each time, King refused.

"No need to be alarmed." Kian said as he slightly raised his arms in defense. "I'm just here to discuss business regarding your younger brother." He said.

King was taken by surprise. Even Kasumi and Yuri gasped. She got even more serious now. In the past, kingpins such as Mr. Big had blackmailed King into working for them by kidnapping her younger brother.

"Whatever it is, you leave him out of this." King growled. It looked like she could attack Kain any minute now. But Kain was unfazed.

"Now Now, don't tell me he went to study Law in New York just so he could come back and learn Kyokugenryu Karate." Kain said. The smile was still there on his face.

"Just get to the point." King said with a hint of anger in her voice.

"Second Southtown is lacking in lawyers. Would you let your brother become a lawyer in Second Southtown?" Kain said. "I am looking to open all the cold cases in the police department. I intend to have them dealt with before independence so we can start with a clean slate. And I came to you to ask you for permission because you would have involved yourself in this matter had I proposed this proposal to him directly." He said bluntly. The smile on his face was gone.

As much as some people hated to admit it, Kain was 'the man'. He really was looking for the welfare of Second Southtown.

"So, do you think he's old enough to start his practice as a lawyer or not?" Kain said. "I'm sure he would love to but I doubt he would do it without your approval."

King calmed down after hearing that. She was also relieved that Kain had not met Jan yet. Her younger brother was dearer to her than her own life. But he had grown up now. He had to live his own life.

"I'll give you time to discuss this matter with him." Kain said as he leaned back in his chair with one hand on the table. There was silence in the entire bar. Not a single sound was made.

"Well, now that we're done with that. I'd like to discuss something that is directly related to you." Kain said to King. This made the other two women curious as well.

"What would that be?" King asked as she narrowed her eyes.

"I want you to put a word out that Second Southtown will have a TV Station of its own. If anyone is qualified to work, they can come to my office. If they're talented or can work behind the scenes then their help would be much appreciated." Kain said.

"Why do you want me to put a word out? Can't you just put an ad in a newspaper?" Kain's request was fairly odd and King wasn't afraid to let it show.

"This place is where people get every day their everyday news. I have looked at the statistics and I've found out that newspapers do very poorly in Second Southtown. Your bar is a place where people come almost every day. So, I figured I might just have you advertise this. This is a big project of ours. And of course, you will be paid for this." Kain said. King was actually surprised by the habit of Kain to get things done. She wasn't going to turn him down. There was no reason to turn him down. He was asking her to do something which could help Second Southtown a lot. King always thought that fighting was not enough and now was her chance to do something for real.

"Fine, I'll do it." She said. A slight smile found its way on Kain's face when he heard that.

"Well then, I'll give people a reason to celebrate so this place can be packed. And then you can tell them about the TV project." Kain said. The man always had a plan for something. "So, how much will you charge for this?" Kain asked.

King was surprised to hear that. She really hadn't thought of a price. Hell, if it was a step towards a peaceful life then she'd do it for free. Besides, she had everything. She was financially stable, her bar was the best in Second Southtown and her brother had finished his education. So, there were no debts, no fees, there was nothing she needed.

"I really don't need the money." She boldly replied.

"Do you think 50,000 dollars are going to be sufficient for your troubles?" Kain offered.

All three women were shocked by his offer, $50,000 for a mere announcement. It had them wondering why Kain was wasting money.

"You may be thinking why this much money for a few announcements?" Kain said. "Well, in the near future, you will find out its worth." He put a hand in his jacket and brought out a check book. He wrote the amount, signed it, and gave it to King.

He wrote two other checks worth $100,000 and gave them to Yuri and Kasumi. "Give them to the masters of your dojo. I want advanced equipment in their dojos. Also, give them my thanks. What they are doing for Second Southtown will protect the next generation from harm." Kain said with gratitude.

"Well, it's getting late. I must take my leave now." Kain said as he looked at his watch. He stood up and began walking.

"Wait!" King said and Kain stopped right in front of the door. "What are you going to do about Duke?" She asked.

As soon as she said that, the environment of the room suddenly changed. The aura around Kain was so intense that it intimidated the three women.

"Dealing with him will be my problem. It would be best if you people stay out of it." It sounded more like a warning. And with that, he left.

* * *

 _ **Earlier in the day,**_

Sei Kensou was walking in the busy streets of Beijing, China. He had just finished another project as an architect. It had been one year since he had become an architect and he had got a lot of success. He had gotten a lot of projects and he finished them all. His career was great in China but his life was not as good. It was _empty._ He had left the Psycho Soldiers and decided to _discover_ himself. Fighting wasn't as important to him anymore. He just wanted to do something else. He became a workaholic. He didn't _want_ to think about life. What was the cause of this? Athena Asamiya. She led him on for years. Kensou always thought that they had something _special_ between them. For years, he supported Athena; he always stood by her side even in her darkest times. But it was because he thought they had something special. And he _liked_ her. He really wanted her to be that special someone in his life. From being teenagers to being in their mid-twenties, they were together, as a _team_. After he got a job as an architect, Kensou finally confessed his feelings to Athena. He was expecting her to feel the same or worst case scenario, friend-zone. But he didn't get _either_ of them. Athena told him that she thought he was nothing more than a _fan_. That opened Kensou's eyes. Athena was an idol who was popular among hundreds and thousands of people. Meanwhile, Kensou was nobody. He had no achievements or anything. But it also _hurt_ him. They spent more than 10 years together and she thought of him as nothing more than a fan. After finding out his _worth_ , Kensou quit the Psycho Soldiers much to his master's dismay but the wound on his heart was too deep. He needed time to heal. He went to Beijing to start his work. He started to get more and more work. And he worked harder each and every time. And in one year's time, he became a well-known architect in China.

And that is when Kain R. Heinlein noticed him. In Kain's eyes, Kensou was someone he needed to be a part of Second Southtown. He was an amazing architect with a lot of potential and he had the dragon spirit. And Kain knew that Ron, a former NESTS agent was after Kensou for his dragon spirit. Kensou would be able to lure him out so Kain could deal with him. Kain was also aware of Kensou's feelings and what he had went through. So, Kain knew which strings he had to pull in order to get Kensou.

Kensou was walking back home when his cellphone rang. He took it out of his pocket and answered the call. "Hello?"

"Is it Sei Kensou?" The voice asked. Whoever it was, he was speaking English. Luckily, Kensou spoke fluent English. That's what he did in his free time. He learned to speak English properly.

"Yes." Kensou replied. He hadn't heard such a voice before. He did not know this person, which was for sure.

"I'm Kain R. Heinlein. You must've probably heard of me." Kensou was shocked to hear that. He _had_ heard of him. He had been all over the news for a few days because of his speech.

"Y-yes, I have." Kensou replied. He was getting nervous. Why would such a huge and controversial personality contact him _personally_?

"I have a proposal for you." Kain went straight to the point. He wasn't the type to waste time.

"What do you mean?" Kensou got curious but he was also confused. He walked into an alley so he can be away from the people and talk peacefully. Besides, he would never talk business in a crowded area.

"You are a talented individual, Mr. Kensou. I am an admirer of your works." Kain began. "And if you are familiar with my name then you must also be familiar with the situation of Second Southtown. I intend to make Second Southtown an independent state. But at the moment, there are not enough experienced architects. I would like you to come and work on some projects which cannot be done by a novice architect. Are you interested?" Kain explained.

"I really appreciate your offer but why me? There are plenty of other architects in China who are ten times better than me." Kensou said. He was still a little confused.

"Second Southtown is all about giving opportunities to those who _deserve_ it. Those people have nothing to prove. But _you_ on the other hand, you may have a lot to prove, if not to others then maybe to yourself." Kain replied. "If you agree to work with us, you will not only be paid generously but you will also be able to make a name for yourself in your profession. In simpler words, do you want to be a part of a revolution?" He asked.

That really hit Kensou. All his life, he was Athena's tail. And he was never really respected. This could elevate his position in the society and he could prove to others and to himself that he can do something _useful_ in life. Besides, he was looking for work. And if Second Southtown was in dire need of architects then it meant that he would have his hands full. And that was _fine_ by him.

"Fine, I'll take you up on that offer. China's got nothing to offer anyway." He said with a smirk.

"You are a smart man, Mr. Kensou. You'll thank me later. I promise you that you will profit from this a lot more than you expected." Kain said and hung up the phone.

Kensou put his cellphone back in his pocket. The smirk had not left his face. He knew that he had done the right thing. And most of all, he could get away from the place which held the most painful moment of his life. It seemed to him that he had finally gotten the opportunity he was waiting for. He returned to his apartment in a very good mood. _A good mood._

* * *

 _ **Present time,**_

Kain was in the car which was driving him back to his apartment. Having Botan living with him was very dangerous, he _had_ to move her. But he knew that Heidern had spies who had his apartment in surveillance 24/7. It would be difficult. He would need a _distraction._ It would need to be big enough to make the spies look elsewhere.

"Give me your phone." He said to the driver. The driver handed him his phone.

Kain dialed a number and held the phone up to his ear. "Gato, is there any information?" He asked. "Ok, thank you. Go back to your house. I'll call you when I need you. Make sure you remain unseen." He said as he hung up the phone. "Go back to the office this instant." He ordered and the driver instantly obliged. He turned the car back and went full speed in the direction of Heinlein Tower.

In Kain's office, Leona Heidern was inspecting everything, from the furniture to the files. She didn't let anything go. She was ordered to find anything that would get them to Botan. She had all his files out and she was going through each and every one of them. Not a single one of them related Kain to anything illegal. He was clean. She was rummaging through his stuff when she heard a door open behind her and it was slammed closed the moment it opened. Leona looked behind her to the door but there was no one. And the door was closed. She looked forward to find the chair facing the glass wall of the office. And since it was dark, she could not see a reflection in it. But she did remember that the chair was not facing that way. She was shocked. And for the first time in her life, she felt _afraid._

The chair slowly turned and it revealed Kain sitting on it with a smirk on his face.

"I should have expected you to be here." Kain said. "It would only make sense if Heidern was to send his most stealthy soldier to inspect my things. So, what brings you here?" Kain said but the smirk went away and his aura became intimidating. He was more serious now.

"Where's Botan?" Leona said. She had become vigilant. She knew that a fight could break out between them.

"Oh, so the word has reached you." Kain said. "I am glad that Adelheid did not betray my expectations." He smirked for a moment as he said that.

Leona was shocked to hear that. How did he know that it was Adelheid who had informed them?

"Now don't be so shocked. I would've given Botan to Adelheid had he kept his mouth shut but instead he found it fitting to play right into my hands. I am sure Miss Kagura will be very upset with him once she finds out he was the one who spoke." Kain said as he folded his arms and rested his leg on top of the other. "When you tell people something and say 'don't tell it to anyone else' they're more likely to do so. Adelheid was the same case." He said.

"Tell me of Botan's whereabouts or else I'll have to use force." Leona tried to intimidate Kain but he was unfazed. She could tell he wasn't afraid of a fight.

"I want you use your _brain_ for this one. _First_ , Adel did what I expected him to do which was to tell Heidern about the offer I made to him _then_ Heidern did what I expected him to do which was rush the investigation after I announced that Second Southtown will become an independent state. So, he sent _you_ to _me._ Now, you cannot leave. _You_ are my ticket to Heidern himself. Now either you can cooperate with me and turn yourself in or we can do this the hard way." Kain said.

Leona didn't say anything. She just got into a fighting stance. She had realized that this was all a trap. Kain had it all planned. She fell right into a trap for the first time in her life. But she learned one thing for sure; Kain was not a normal man. And from the aura that Kain emitted, he didn't look weak either. He looked to be on par with the likes of Kyo Kusanagi or Iori Yagami.

"I'll ask you again, Miss Heidern. Would you like to surrender?" He asked.

Leona still didn't say anything. Kain had gotten his answer. He got up from his chair and put one hand in his pocket. He reached out with his other hand and it engulfed in beautiful violet flames. And the two engaged in a fight.

* * *

 _ **After the fight,**_

Kain had won. Leona was knocked out on the floor. But she did not have a scratch on her. Kain on the other hand, he ended up with a few flesh wounds. He did his best to contain Leona _without_ injuring her. It was not an easy task. Now, he had all the pieces. Having Leona meant having Heidern and that meant having the entire US Army under his control. Kain had spies spying on Heidern's spies. It was _simple_.

He walked over to Leona; he picked her up in his arms and walked out of the room which looked like nothing had changed in it. He decided to stay in Rock's apartment for the night. Rock was in Japan at the moment but it was ok, Kain had the keys to his apartment. So, this was Kain's night out. He spent $250,000 and _kidnapped_ Leona.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ _Well guys that was it for Chapter 6. I hope you enjoyed it. I'm back on track. Took me long enough but I'm back. I've decided to add Sei Kensou in the mix. If you've got a problem then just wait and see what happens. I can make things work. Anyways, leave a review because it really helps and it motivates me to write more and get the next chapter out as soon as possible. If you've got any ideas, feel free to tell me either in reviews or PMs (Private Messages)._


	7. Intermission

**Chapter 7**

 **Intermission**

* * *

Rock had left Japan, not after _reminding_ Chizuru to take care of her motorcycle, which he fixed. He was really ambitious when it came to them. Chizuru couldn't get enough information out of him about Kain and about Second Southtown's independence or how Kain was able to get Botan. Rock evaded these questions roughly. But Chizuru knew it all too well. In the end, Rock told her he knew nothing. And Chizuru could tell when a person was lying or not. And Rock was not lying. He was genuinely telling the truth. He really didn't know. She could tell from this that Kain could do things everything on his own, without involving those are close to him. The only person who Kain relied on the most was _himself._

Rock boarded on the plane as soon as he could. He wanted to get back to Second Southtown as soon as possible. Kain had done something huge. It was the most important decision in the history of Second Southtown and he did not tell even a single person. He didn't feel the need to discuss it with anyone. Maybe he was just proud or maybe it was his _way_ of doing things. But still, he had a lot of catching up to do. Rock was a bit surprised at the fact that he was interested. At one point in his life, he had sworn that he would stay away from this _corporate_ line of work, which reminded him of his biological father. But at the same time, he really didn't know what he was going to do with his life. And when he was 18, Kain came out of nowhere and dragged him into this business. And he had him clean upthe mess that _Geese_ had made. And Rock knew he wasn't done yet. Geese had done more than just drug operations. Samller gangs were still trying to get on the rise. Things were getting hefty in Second Southtown as the day of independence got closer and closer. The police force was not getting any time off and they didn't want to take time off. All these years, they were chained by the mafia and now they were finally let loose. They were gonna catch every thug they could find. They were not playing games. They were more vigilant than ever and they had to be, especially these days. There were chances of many casualties. And it was times like these when gangs act freely, with crowds everywhere. What Rock had done wasn't going to put an end to these crime lords. It's like a hydra. You cut its head off and two heads grow back. That's why people like Terry and Ryo never got a break. They kept fighting it no matter what. But for how long could they go on like this? Things had to change. Rock well knew that the hydra will keep growing its heads back and they will be more in numbers every time but what they could do was find a way to delay it.

Rock landed at the airport and found that his motorcycle had been transferred there prior to his arrival. He got on it and raced away towards Kain's office. Rock had been notified that he was not to contact Kain through his cellphone so he wanted to meet Kain as soon as possible and aware himself of the situation. He arrived at the Heinlein Tower. He got his kickstand down. He was walking towards the huge building when he was stopped by one of the guards. The guard gestured him to get in a car that was there. Rock did so. To his surprise, he saw that Kain was already in the backseat, waiting for him.

"I see you've arrived on time." Kain said as he smirked. It was probably his way to greet his nephew.

"I tried to get here as soon as possible." Rock said as he sat down next to Kain who signaled the driver to drive.

"So, is there _anything_ that I missed while I was gone?" Rock referenced Kain's surprise announcement of independence. Kain had the element of surprise. He was like a _good_ magician. You blink once and he would have pulled a trick during that time.

"Ah, I see that the word has reached even in Japan." Kain said calmly, with the smirk still on his face.

"Apparently, almost the entire _world_ knows about it." Rock said; he couldn't believe that Kain could be this calm. How could he not show _any_ sort of excitement or worry? It was a huge decision.

"Well, why didn't you tell me?" Rock asked. He knew it wasn't wise to beat around the bush, especially with Kain, who was not a huge fan of wasting time.

"For one, I needed you to focus on your task at hand. And secondly, I don't think you're capable to hold big secrets yet. You've been working for me only a month. You have _a lot_ to learn. Besides, I knew you were asked questions regarding this in Japan. So, I thought it would be better to send you without any answers so even if you told them you didn't know, you wouldn't be lying. Miss Kagura is a very clever and intelligent woman. I'm sure you're familiar of that now." Kain paused for a moment before he continued. "If Kagura Enterprises has been one of the leading business companies for this long than it shows you that she's not an ordinary woman. She can tell right from wrong, she can read the person she is dealing with, which happened to be _you,_ in this case. I had to keep you in the dark because I know who _I'm_ dealing with." Kain finished. And Rock was left speechless. He was amazed at how good his uncle was. He didn't leave any holes. His execution was perfect.

"Well, let me bring some things to your attention." Kain said and Rock got really attentive. "There have been reports of smaller gangs forming in Second Southtown." He said.

"Oh man, not again." That was all Rock could say. "And you need me for my _janitor skills_." He said, referring to him beating the crap out of them and drive them out of town.

"Yes. But not yet." Kain said. "I want _you_ to get gather some men first. I want you to make a gang." He instructed.

Rock was taken by shock. "What?" He asked incredulously. He couldn't believe it. "You're telling me to form something I've sworn to destroy."

"Listen, Rock," Kain tried to calm his nephew down. "I want you to form a _task force_ which would work to drive these smaller gangs out. Are you by any chance familiar with Duke?" Kain asked.

"No." Rock replied. He had calmed down a bit.

"He was the kingpin here before Mr. Big and Geese. He was driven out by them. But I've been informed from a very reliable source that Duke is looking to come back to Second Southtown because it has no established crime lord ruling over it." Kain said.

"But, why did he not just come back to Second Southtown when his Geese died? Why wait all these years?" Rock did have a point.

"Well, he couldn't. The crime lords that you got arrested. They had formed an alliance and it was strong enough to prevent other kingpins from getting into Second Southtown. Now that they're gone, the window of opportunity is open for Duke." Kain answered his nephew's question.

"So, why do you need me to form a gang?" Rock asked; he had calmed down now.

"The smaller gangs which I mentioned earlier are the surveillance groups of Duke. To put it in simple words, they're his informers. And I really don't like the fact that Duke has people in Second Southtown. Now they haven't done anything illegal _yet_. They're scoping out places to settle. The law cannot do anything. That's where you come in. You and your gang can beat them up. I'll grant you full protection." Kain said.

Rock sighed in defeat. He knew that he would have to do it whether he liked it or not. "When do I start?" Rock asked.

"As soon as you can," Kain said. "I've chosen gang members for you."

"What?" Rock was surprised when he heard that. "It's _my_ gang and I don't even get to choose who I want to be in it?"

"I want you to get Meira brothers. Their father, Fate, ruled over Southtown before Duke. They ran away from their orphanage in Germany and were adopted by him later. Duke arrived, killed Fate and got into power. They hate Duke just like your adoptive father and uncle hated Geese. They even have a similar story to theirs; the only difference is that they're Italian."

"They do have a similar story." Rock agreed.

"And for the final member, I've chosen Kim Dong Hwan, your friend." Kain caught Rock off guard with this one. Rock did not see that coming.

"Are you crazy?" Rock asked incredulously.

"No, what's the matter?" Kain was still calm. But Rock on the other hand, wasn't.

"What's the matter, you ask? What makes you think he makes a good candidate for a job like this? His father would _kill_ him and then he would come and kill _me_ or have me learn Taek Won Do for the rest of my life for involving him into something like this." Rock was worried sick.

"Let me tell you a thing or two about his father. Kim Kaphwan is not a man to be messed with. He is warrior of justice and he eradicates any justice he sees. You think he'll allow his son to be a part of something like this?" Rock said.

"I am well aware of his father's antics. But I assure you that nothing will happen. I recently got informed that Kim Dong Hwan and one of Kim's students or should I say adopted child are coming to Second Southtown to open a dojo. I granted them the permission to open the dojo. Now, we both know that Dong Hwan is not interested in following his father's footsteps. He does not want to teach. He wants to do something other than that. I believe he will be thrilled when he hears about this." Kain said.

"Wait," Rock looked at Kain curiously, "Mr. Kim has an adopted child?" He asked.

"Yes, he has. Her name is Chae Lim. Mr. Kim took her under his wing when she was very young." Kain replied.

"If she's a part of his family, how come I never I met her?" Rock asked this question more to himself than Kain.

"Many fathers do not like unknown boys near their daughters." Kain replied reasonably.

"Ohhh." Rock had realized what Kim had thought of him as.

"Still I can't put them in harm's way. If he's getting involved, she might get involved too." Rock said feeling a little down. He did not want anyone close to him get involved in this business. The main reason he had cut ties with Terry and others.

"He is a trained fighter. Putting ourselves in danger is a part of what we do. He is not a child, Rock. Involve him into this and he'll thank you. The boy has determination in his eyes. He is perfect for this. And maybe, this job might help him get his act together. Something his father hasn't managed to do. And if it makes you feel well, then I shall provide protection for her." Kain tried to help Rock understand.

Rock just sighed. "Fine, I'll try."

"Good." Kain said and looked out the window and the car stopped. "It seems that I've reached my destination. The car will take you back to your apartment. Go get some rest. Come see me tomorrow. I have some business from last night I have to take care of." Kain said and got out.

The driver started driving again and proceeded to get Rock to his apartment.

* * *

 _ **In the Ikari Warriors' Base,**_

Heidern was panicking. He was not able to get in contact with Leona since last night. He was unsure of what had happened to her. He did know that she was going to infiltrate Kain's office at night when there was no one in the building. He had ordered her to do so. But why had she not contacted him by daytime? Ralf and Clark had never seen Heidern in a state like this. Heidern was yelling at the communication staff to track where Leona was and was asking them why couldn't they get contact her. Kain managed to make one of the _dangerous_ men in the entire world lose his composure.

Kain entered his apartment and immediately looked for Botan. She was watching television, as usual. What else could she do? She had nothing else to do.

"Miss Botan, pack your bags. You will be staying at someone else's place from now on. They will come to pick you up in 30 minutes." Kain said as soon as he saw her without showing any signs of haste.

"Now hold on a minute." Botan was taken by surprise. "What's this all about?" She asked.

"No special occasion. I'm doing this so you will not have to be bored every day. I figure that you find yourself very uncomfortable in this place. So, I'm moving you to a place which is in a much better location. It's by the countryside, in an open area where you can get some sunshine." Kain decided to give all the details at once.

"Nice." Botan was not feeling bad when she heard that she was going to be moved. She had done nothing for days. She felt like a prisoner, which she was. But all she knew that once Second Southtown was free from the US, she'll be a free citizen of Second Southtown. So, she didn't mind if she had to stay indoors for a few more days.

"Oh, and one more thing," Kain said. "If you try to control this person's mind, he _will_ kill you." He casually said. Botan's expressions suddenly changed.

"But worry not. You will enjoy your stay over there more than you enjoyed your stay here." Kain assured her.

Botan did not ask any further questions. Anyone who had spent enough time with Kain had learnt that he did not like to waste time and he would not answer unnecessary questions. So, she started packing. And since she did not have much luggage, she was done in 20 minutes. Kain made sure she did not leave a single thing left behind.

After a few minutes, Gato arrived. He was wearing a dark green T-shirt with a black leather jacket on top, black jeans and black loafers. His eyes were like an eagle, he was intimidating and one could easily say that he was not afraid to kill someone or he had already killed someone before. But when Botan laid her eyen upon him, she was struck with awe. Different people have different types. She had never seen such a man before.

"Good morning, Gato. How are you doing?" Kain greeted him as he offered a small smile.

Gato just nodded in response. He then moved his eyes to look at Botan. She froze when she got his attention. Good looks aside, he was intimidating.

"H-Hi," She awkwardly waved her hand. Gato didn't respond with anything, not even a nod.

"He doesn't speak a lot but I'll take my leave now. You will leave with him and he will take you home." Kain said.

"Why are you leaving now?" Botan asked.

"Just do as he says." Gato said. This took Botan by surprise. His voice was deep. She _liked_ it.

"Thank you, Gato. You two get to know each other." Kain said with a smile and left. He got in a car waiting outside and it raced away.

Botan and Gato were left standing in Kain's apartment. The awkward silence was haunting the place. Botan only managed to offer a smile. She was nervous. She had never felt anything like this. Why was her heart beating so fast?

* * *

Kain reached his office in a few minutes. He immediately rushed into his office and called Heidern.

"Hello, this is Kain R. Heinlein." He introduced himself over the phone.

Heidern clenched his fist with anger.

"What do you want?" He growled.

"I could ask _you_ the same thing." Kain replied. "After all, you're the one who's spying on me."

"Get to the point." Heidern said angrily.

"I have to admit, Commander. You are, well, as the scum of the earth, my brother-in-law used to say, _'Predictable'."_ Kain said. He was toying with Heidern, of all people.

"You son of a bitch, Where's Leona?" He yelled.

"Last time I checked, she was _resting_." Kain replied. "Maybe she woke up from her slumber."

"What do you want?" Heidern asked.

"Don't worry, I shall not harm put your daughter in harm's way. It would be a shame if you were to lose a member of your family _again._ " Kain put spice on Heidern's wounds.

"Just tell me what you want?" Heidern was losing sanity as moments went by.

"All I want is that I want to meet you in person." Kain replied. He was still calm. He was smiling a little.

"You could've just told me that from the start. Why do all this?" Heidern asked incredulously.

"Well, I wanted to be the one who makes the rules. If I had done it like a _normal_ person, the ball would've been in your court. And I would not have liked that. Meet me here in 2 days. You are allowed to bring two people of your choice. We will discuss some things and after that, you can take your daughter with you and go back home." Kain calmly replied and hung up. He had not lost his composure once. But he had managed to _break_ Heidern. He knew that Leona was Heidern's weakness.

"Sir, we've managed to track the location from where the call was made." One of his soldiers told him.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Speak up." Heidern was furious.

"It was from his office, the place where we lost contact with Captin Leona." He immediately said.

"Alright," Heidern wanted to move as soon as he can. He wanted to _kill_ Kain, most of all. "Move all of our surveillance groups to the traced location. Leona has to be there." Heidern ordered.

"Are you sure about this, sir?" The soldier asked because the decision did not seem like it was a wise one.

' _Emotions, they can ruin an entire plan once they get in the way.'_ Kain thought to himself as he leaned back in his chair and smirked.

"Do I have to repeat myself, soldier? Do as I say." Heidern furiously replied.

"Yes Sir!" The soldier saluted and proceeded to convey his message to the spies in Second Southtown.

* * *

Kensou had packed his luggage. He was ready to go to the United States of America. He had seen the news. He knew what was going on there and what Kain planned to do. After he had received the phone call from Kain, a little thought had been in his head ever since. Second Southtown would be an independent state, which had now absorbed its surrounding cities which were also overlooked by the government. Those cities also wanted to be a part of Second Southtown and had no qualms against Kain being the leader of this independence movement. It would be new start to all the people who lived there. A similar idea had popped into Kensou's head and he was unable to get it out of his head. A part of his just wanted to move to Second Southtown and become a part of it. He didn't have a family. He had left the Psycho Soldiers. Fighting did not interest him anymore, although he would still practice whenever he would have the time. He knew that being able to defend himself would prove to be quite useful to him.

But before he departed, he decided to visit his Master, Chin Gentsai, to say farewell and get his blessings. He made his way to the mountains, and in front of it, was a forest. That is where they used to train, in a forest, typical technique to get stronger, train in a forest. In the forest, there was an old building; it displayed the ancient Chinese architecture. Psycho Soldiers had done a good job to keep that building from collapsing. Kensou stood in front of the ancient building. He took a deep breath and began walking towards it. There was no one around. Bao and Momoka were nowhere to be seen which was strange. And Athena was also not present which was not that big of a surprise because she was probably touring in Japan. It was like that in the past as well. Kensou opened the huge door in front of him and he saw his master sitting inside with his legs crossed, and drunk. A light smile found its way on Kensou's lips. Chin was always drunk. Kensou had trained under him all these years and not once had he seen him sober.

"Good day, master." Kensou bowed in front of his master as a display of respect.

Chin turned his attention towards him. His eyes widened as much as they could. He was shocked.

"Is that you, Kensou?" He asked with excitement but it was clear from his voice that he was drunk for he was flailing around slowly.

"Yes Master, it is I." Kensou replied calmly.

"Where have you been all this time?" Chin got up from his place and went to his pupil.

He put a hand on his back and led him to a place to sit. "Come, sit down." He was excited. "Do you want anything to eat?" He asked.

"No Master, I'm fine." Kensou replied. "Where are the others?" He asked as he looked around the huge room.

"Oh, they all went to Japan. Athena was going there to perform so she took Bao and Momoka with her." Chin replied.

"Why did you stay then?" Kensou asked.

"Well, I stayed here in case one of my students came here looking for me." Chin slyly replied. And Kensou understood that Chin already knew why he was there. "You were always the most hardworking. You never took any day off. Training never bothered you. You wanted to become strong each and every day. But one day, you stopped." Chin took a deep breath. "And then you came to me and told me that you were quitting. I am not going to lie; I was surprised by your decision. At first, I thought that you would just get over what had happened between you and Athena. And your broken heart would heal." Chin said.

Kensou immediately looked up in surprise. "How do you know what happened between me and Athena?" He asked curiously.

"I was peeking on you two." He replied without any sort of embarrassment. "I was really happy when you became a construction worker."

"An architect, Master." Kensou immediately corrected his Master's mistake. He felt ashamed being called a construction worker.

"Oh, whatever you call it. I was really happy for you when you got the job. But I was surprised with Athena's response as well. You may just felt agony and pain. But in addition to those, I felt disappointed. I could not believe that she did not form any kind of bond with you after all the years you've spent together." Pain was surfacing in Chin's voice as he spoke.

"Master, that's in the past. I'm over it." Kensou tried to make his Master calm. He did not want Chin to feel sad in their meeting after a year.

"I know. That is why you were able to achieve success in your field. I am glad that you did not walk on the wrong path." Chin said with reassurance.

"Master, there is something I wanted to ask." Kensou said. He wanted to get to the point as soon as possible.

"What is it?" Chin asked.

"I received an offer to work in Second Southtown. They want me to do bigger projects there." Kensou told him.

"Whether you want to do them or not is up to you." Chin replied casually.

"But the thing is; I've been having these thoughts, about starting over. A part of me wants me to go to Second Southtown and stay there." Kensou said to his Master, seeking his advice.

Chin just laughed heartily. He kept laughing for a fair amount of time. Kensou was just confused. He did not know what Chin found so funny. Chin stopped laughing and wiped a tear from his eye.

"You are a lucky man, Sei Kensou." Chin said. "You quit the moment I had nothing to teach you anymore. And now you know there's nothing special for you to do in your job so you get an offer from overseas." He said while smiling although his huge mustache was covering his lips.

"So, what should I do?" Kensou asked.

"You do what your heart tells you to do although I think you should do it." Chin said.

"What?" Kensou was a bit shocked.

"If you were to settle down in China, it would've happened this year when you started gaining success. But it hasn't. That means you may find what you are looking for in Second Southtown." Chin said. He was a wise man even though he was usually drunk.

Kensou was still silent.

"The more you will think about it, the more it will become difficult for you to decide." Chin said. "Now, the only reason this thought came into your mind was because you wanted to do this. You are frustrated with your life here. So, it may prove better for you to move to Second Southtown. But you must do what your heart tells you to do. I'm only telling you to do what _I_ think is better for you." Chin calmly said.

"Thank you, Master." Kensou lowered his head in respect and got up. He had a smile of relief on his face.

"I hope you find peace in Second Southtown." Chin said and lied down on the place where he was sitting.

"Farewell, Master." Kensou said and proceeded to leave. Chin just waved his hand without even looking at him.

"My blessings are with you." Chin whispered and fell asleep.

* * *

 _ **Back in Second Southtown,**_

Gato got a call from one Kain's men to move out.

"Let's go." He told Botan and picked up her bags. The two stormed out of the building like it was about to explode.

They immediately got in the car that was parked outside. Gato put his pedal to the metal and drove away from the location. Botan was amazed at how fast he was. Soon, they entered the crowded side of the city, where he slowed down.

"So, is there anything you want to tell me, you know, any ground rules or whatnot?" She asked. She was still nervous.

"Yes, do _not_ try to harm my younger sister." Gato replied, his eyes still on the road. Botan did not need to second guess the fact that Gato was referring to her making Adelheid's sister, Rose, her puppet.

"You have a younger sister?" Botan's eyes lit up. She was happy that she would not have to be alone. She figured that if Gato was associated with Kain, then there was no way that he was a man who would have a lot of free time. But she was glad that she would have some company.

"Kain told me that I could not leave because there were people looking for me." Botan said. She needed answers. Why was he letting her go now?

Gato remained silent and focused on the road.

"You're not planning to turn me in, are you?" She crossed her arms and started to eye him suspiciously.

"If he wanted to turn you in, he would've done that the day he captured you." Gato replied.

"But why is he prepared to let me be free once Second Southtown is officially independent?" She asked again.

"How much do you know about the Orochi?" Gato asked.

Botan felt the question was out of blue but she decided to answer it anyway. "Saiki wanted to obtain its power, that's all."

"You don't know a lot about Orochi, that's why he cannot strike a deal with Chizuru Kagura. 'Those from the Past' are all dead, except you. And it's no mystery that you only joined Saiki for money. You barely know _anything_. And in his eyes, you're innocent because you did it to make some money. Chizuru Kagura only wants you for revenge; same with Adelheid although Heidern genuinely thinks you have some serious information regarding Orochi and 'Those from the Past'." Gato said without moving his eyes from the road.

"How did you guys know I was doing it for the money?" Botan asked.

"Take a look at your 'luggage'. All of the bags are from major brands which had recently opened their stores in Second Southtown. You waste a lot of money. And you love buying expensive things just for the sake of owning them. Anyone with that kind of mentality can only be trusted to keep secrets if they're paid for the rest of their lives. Hence, Saiki was smart enough to just pay you to keep your mouth shut and run _errands_ for him." Gato replied. He was still calm, no emotion in his voice whatsoever.

Botan was surprised at his observational skills. He was _pretty_ good. No wonder he was working for Kain.

"How come you're working for Kain?" Botan asked.

Gato glanced at Botan and then got his eyes back on the road. "He made me an offer I could not refuse." He replied.

Botan did not ask any further, she knew she was not going to get any answers. She just remained silent for the whole time until they reached their destination.

"We're here." Gato said as he stopped the car in front of a simple yet a beautiful house. There were no other houses around it. It was just this house. There were no people around as well. It was far from the city.

"Wow!" That was all Botan could say after she looked around. Her eyes lit up. The place was beautiful and she _loved_ it. She was just standing there, staring at the beautiful nature around her.

Gato picked up her bags out of the car. "Ok, let's go inside." He said as he walked towards the house. Botan got out of her trance and began to follow him.

They went to the front door. Gato took out the keys from his pocket and opened the door. "Get inside." He said. And Botan just did as he said.

"Welcome back, big brother." A young soft voice was heard from the kitchen and then a girl with blue hair, wearing an apron came out of the kitchen.

She appeared in front of them and stopped as soon as she saw Botan. She was surprised to see Botan. Why was this woman with her brother? He did not say anything about bringing a guest.

Gato realized what was going on. He decided to beware his younger sister of the situation.

"Hotaru, meet Botan. She will be staying with us for a while." He explained the situation to his younger sister. "Botan, meet my younger sister, Hotaru." He introduced them to each other.

"Hi! Nice to meet you." Hotaru greeted her with a polite manner.

"Wait," Botan was surprised, "that's your sister?" She asked.

"Uh, yes," Gato really did not know why she was asking the question. "I already introduced you to her."

Botan still did not believe him. "You mean to tell me, that this innocent young lady is your baby sister?"

"Yes, she is. Now how long are you going to stand here?" Gato had enough of it. He didn't want to waste his time. He had others things to do.

"Hotaru, show her where her room is." Gato said to his sister and went in towards his room leaving Hotaru and Botan alone.

"You're not going to stay in the same room?" Hotaru asked an innocent question but it hit Gato and Botan like a train.

Botan's face had turned completely red and Gato was in disbelief.

"Why would you even ask that?" Gato asked incredulously. Gato, who rarely showed any emotion, was not the same person in front of his younger sister.

"B-But isn't she your wife?" Hotaru asked innocently. And this time it them like an airplane. Gato just face palmed. He couldn't believe that his sister just misunderstood the whole situation. And not only that, she expressed her misunderstanding by skipping two steps. She didn't refer to Botan as his girlfriend or fiancé. She directly referred to her as his wife. Botan, whose face was already red, became even redder. She could feel the blood rushing to her brain. She had met Gato just today and she had a crush on him the moment she saw him but Hotaru just was not helping her in the situation.

"Why in the world would you think that?" Gato asked and this time, he was just feeling down.

"Because last time when I asked you when you were getting married, you told me that you'll marry whenever you will feel like it. And you'd do it without telling me." Hotaru replied.

"I was tired that day and does that mean any woman I bring home is supposed to be my _wife_?" He said.

"But you don't bring _anyone_ home. Not even a _guy_. And what do you expect me to think when you come back home with a pretty woman after staying out for two days?" Hotaru retorted. This resulted in Gato face palming again. He could not believe it. He was losing an argument to his 17 year old sister. Meanwhile, Botan was flattered by the compliment but she also wanted to melt into a puddle and disappear into the ground because of how _awkward_ this situation was.

"You know what? I'm going in _my_ room to rest. Why don't you show our guest where _her_ room is?" Gato had enough mental exhaustion for the time being. He put Botan's bags in the living room and went to his room, leaving Hotaru and Botan alone.

Botan had calmed down to some extent after that _journey_. But she was still blushing. Hotaru smiled and bowed down. "Sorry for the inconvenience." She apologized. Botan was really impressed by her manners. This girl knew how to handle herself. Botan still could not believe that she was Gato's sister.

"It's ok." Botan replied while looking away. She was still blushing and she did not want to reveal to Hotaru that she had a crush on her brother.

"Follow me, I'll show you where your room is." Hotaru said picked up some of her stuff. Botan picked up the remaining stuff and started following her.

Hotaru went upstairs and Botan followed. There were two rooms up there. Hotaru opened the second one and went inside. When Botan entered the room, she saw a comfortable bed which made her want to go to sleep right then and there. Beautiful wooden floor and wooden walls really gave a nice touch to the room. And the furniture was amazing as well. It felt safe. Botan had not moved this much since a few days. Hotaru and Botan put the bags down.

"Rest for now, I'll call you when the lunch is ready." Hotaru said and exited the room.

Botan just fell on the bed and buried her face in the pillow. She didn't find Hotaru to be as she had expected her to be. She could not believe that such a timid and polite girl could be the younger sister of a man who probably kills people for a living. But Gato probably didn't do that. People who kill for a living do not have their sanity intact. And Gato was in full control of himself. And he was really well built, his broad chest and muscular arms. Botan shrugged off these thoughts immediately after realizing that she had just been called his woman. She thought that she had blushed enough today to last her a long time. She got up and looked out of the window. She had a good view of the woods. And they were beautiful. She loved the house.

The house was big. It was really big for two people. Three spacious bedrooms with attached bathrooms, a huge living room, an attic, and there was a garage. But the most beautiful thing about it was the backyard. Gato had fenced it. It was huge. Botan decided to take a shower while she had the time.

Half an hour later, Hotaru knocked on the door. "Miss Botan, lunch is ready. Please come down." She said in her usual polite and nice tone.

Botan had taken a liking to her. She was young, innocent and nice. How could Botan hate her? She was younger than her and probably knew more about cooking than she did. Botan got out, dressed in new clothes. She was ready to start her day in the new house.

"What did you cook?" Botan asked as they were going downstairs.

"Chicken." Hotaru happily replied. To which Botan made a face to show that she was impressed. She liked to eat chicken.

The two went downstairs. Botan took a seat at the dining table; she was soon joined by Gato, which made her feel a little nervous. And then Hotaru came back with a well cooked chicken. And for the first time in her life, Botan felt like she was part of a family. It felt nice eating with others. Kain proved to be right; she was going to enjoy her stay here _a lot._

* * *

 _ **Author's note: And that is it for this chapter. I know that this was a little sloppy and long (That's what she said. What? She was from Thailand) but this is the foundation for the next chapter. As you can see, I'm doing something that's been never done before. Gato x Botan, baby! We are doing it whether you like it or not. More awkward moments to come between them. And I hope you guys enjoyed it. Leave a review. Goodbye!**_


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